Nevermore
by Frozenheart2
Summary: "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted-Nevermore!" The Raven, By Edgar Allen Poe Warning: Contains violence, language, angst, possible triggers, and a few suggestive themes. Rating may go up depending on how story progresses. See more inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, so I have done some serious debating of whether or not I should start posting this story now since I already have two ongoing ones, however, this has been tugging at my mind for a while now, so i think I'll just post this first chapter for now and see how you guys like it. This story was inspired by but not based on _The Raven_ by Edgar Allen Poe. **

**Contains Blindshipping/Puzzleshipping, other pairings. **

**Hope you enjoy! :) and don't forget to review! Tha****nk you!**

**Warning: This chapter contains scene of violence and murder. Read at your own risk. **

* * *

As Yugi stood in the middle of the empty room, the sound of wings caught his attention as he turned towards the open window. A smile caressed his features as his gaze fell upon a raven perched at his window. He welcomed it in with a wave, his smile broadening as a boy appeared before him, his eyes a deep violet, warm and inviting. The boy extended a hand towards him and Yugi reached out to grab it. However the soft call of his name caused him to jerk back as he slowly turned his head, only to meet smoldering crimson. He glanced back and forth between the two males as they stood before him. One that was _sinfully sweet _and the other that was the _sweetest sin_; both equally **DANGEROUS**.

**Which will he choose?**

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

Domino-the small little town that Yugi Mutou lived in. He moved to this town six years ago with his grandfather after his parents died. Correction-after his parents were brutally **murdered**. It was strange when his parents didn't come home one Friday evening. Normally his parents finished work early on Friday's and normally got home around six; which left time for them to watch a movie and spend some quality family time together.

However, as six o'clock came around, his parents did not arrive home. Yugi, being the unassuming, carefree boy he was, figured they were probably stuck in traffic or something of the like. Oh, but how wrong he was. By the time ten-thirty came, Yugi grew anxious. He was home alone then, and it was storming horrendously outside; the rain and wind wrecking the trees and mangling the telephone wires. He wasn't afraid of the storm though, he was rarely afraid of anything.

About a quarter past eleven, Yugi was beginning to grow weary. His eyes were droopy and bloodshot, tired from the long day at school. Just as his head lolled back against the couch and his eyelids fell closed, a knock came at the door; the softest of knocks. Though, it was enough to startle Yugi awake as he jumped off the couch to answer the door. He went on his tip-toes and peaked through the small little peep hole in the door but frowned when he saw no one there.

Placing a hand on the door knob, he nearly jerked his hand away. It was _ice cold_. The cool metal _burned _against his skin and caused a sickening feeling to pool in his gut. He swallowed, _hard_, and reached up to the small chain above the door to lock it, just in case a psychopath was waiting for him on the other side. His other hand reached into his back pocket for the butterfly knife he usually kept with him for protection. Then, ever so slowly, he turned the knob and pulled the door open just a crack. His heard pounded wildly in his chest and his breathing deepened as he stared out into the darkness of the chaotic night.

Seeing no one in sight, he unhooked the chain and stepped out but not before nearly tripping over something. His body stiffened as he felt his bare foot come in contact with something warm and sticky. It was then that his other senses caught up to him and he smelled the putrid smell of blood. His stomach knotted and twisted as his lips curled up into a grimace. He swallowed thickly as he tasted the acidic taste of bile on his tongue, rising from his throat. Slowly, then ever so slowly, he lowered his gaze and suddenly it felt like his very breath had been knocked out of him. His lungs constricted, his heart ceased, and his face drained to sickly pale color as his jaw hung loose, his mouth wide open, gasping like a fish out of water, although there was no sound.

Shock. That was what Yugi was feeling at the moment. Staring down at his father's bloodied corpse strewn carelessly upon the once light brown-now dark red-'WELCOME' mat. A gash was evident on his father's forehead, just barely noticeable beneath sharp, blonde bangs Yugi had inherited from him. What _was _noticeable was the copious amounts of blood that continued to spill from his father's slit throat; a puddle of dark burgundy pooling around his mangled body, bound in chains.

Still, even as Yugi stared at the obscene sight before him, he could not move, could not scream, he could not make a sound. He was petrified and absolutely terrified. His eyes showed everything his expression did not; fear, anger, terror. He stared at his father's face, those all too pale violet eyes staring vacantly back at him. He gulped. If his father was here, then where was his mother?

Yugi clutched onto the knife he held in his pocket and ventured out into the night. The rain fell harshly upon Yugi as he followed a trail of blood to a large Sakura tree just beside his house. He stopped when the trail ended, stopping in front of a large pool of blood. He felt something hit his neck. He reached up shakily and touched his neck, automatically stiffening when he felt something oddly thick and sticky. He then retraced his fingers and stared at them, shocked to find them stained red.

He inhaled sharply and slowly lifted his head to look above him. Oh, how he wish he didn't. Yugi crumbled. His legs gave out from beneath him as he stared up at his mother hanging from the tree, her wrists bound with a vine of thorns. The bright yellow dress Yugi had seen his mother off in was torn, dirty, and stained, no longer that brilliant shade of yellow; but soiled with blood and mud.

It was then that Yugi lost all sense of control of himself. It was then that everything that he had been keeping inside was let loose. His mouth opened again as a horrible blood curdling scream ripped through his throat and tore through the chaotic night. His screams, however, died as he heard the sound of wings, surprisingly reaching above the volume of the storm. He turned his head upward towards a lone branch and there saw a raven; feathers as black as night and eyes as red as blood that coated his parents. It stared at him, taunting him with its eyes before taking off and disappearing into the night.

It was later that the neighbors had heard Yugi's screaming and had called the cops who promptly arrived to escort Yugi away, however not without questioning him first down at the station, giving way for another nervous breakdown. His grandfather had been absolutely livid when the cops tried to explain that they were just being 'cautious' and considering all 'suspects' '_Suspects? How could my grandson be a suspect? LOOK AT HIM!' _

Yugi and his grandfather had moved away a few months after that to Domino in hope of starting anew. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. The day that Yugi moved to the small town of Domino, was the same day he met the town's 'psychopath'. It was the day he witnessed a murder first hand, the day he met someone who he swore was the Devil himself.

A sigh escaped his thin pale lips as he stood up at the sight of the bus arriving at the bus stop. He climbed up the short slight of stairs and pulled himself onto the bus, his deep violet eyes scanning the rows of seats on the bus, looking for a familiar face among the students. Finally, his eyes landed on two of his best friends; Joey and Anzu.

He smiled slightly as he weaved his way through the narrow aisle of the bus, avoiding tripping over anyone's feet or backpack. Just as he sat down on the empty seat beside his two friends, the whole bus went dead silent. Yugi looked up and met eyes with those same dark crimson eyes he'd seen when he first moved here. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the owner of those blood red eyes held his gaze for a whole three seconds before darting away.

Yugi diverted his gaze and instead focused on the little string hanging from the shirt he was wearing. His body visibly stiffened when the teen brushed past him and sat at the seat diagonal to him. He gulped and kept his gaze away, always feeling so dreadful each time he looked into those depthless eyes of the teen.

"Why is that psychopath riding with us? He _never _takes the bus!" One student, sitting in front of Yugi, whispered in panic.

"What if today's the day he decides to kill us all?" Another speculated anxiously.

Yugi tried to tune them out as he snuck a glance at the resident 'psychopath'. Luckily, those red eyes of his were facing away out the window. Yugi breathed a sigh of relief.

Yami Sennen. The teen that had everyone on edge. This was the very boy who Yugi had come to fear since his move here. At first, things seemed so normal. He'd seen Yami arriving home from somewhere, hood over head and Yugi had waved to him, trying to be polite and neighborly. However, all he received was an eye roll and a scoff before the other disappeared into the house. Yugi knew then to stay away and oh, how right he was to do so.

Yami was all-around bad news. It wasn't just the stories that got everyone worked up it was Yami's entire demeanor. He wore all black, as usual and had cuts, scars, and bruises littering his face, one visible scar just peaking out from beneath his shirt, rising just above his collar bone. Yugi often wondered how large and deep the wound was.

Yugi shuddered as he recollected all the horrendous crimes he had heard Yami committed and the one crime he witnessed himself. And he _knew _that today was going to be unlike any other. He _knew _that some serious shit was going to go down today. And he could all but pray that he wouldn't be in the middle of it.

* * *

School droned on slowly as usual and Yugi quickly lost interest in majority of his classes. It wasn't his fault the material covered was boring nor was it his fault that the teachers talked in such monotone voices that could put even _themselves _to sleep if they listened to a recording. Finally, it was lunch time and he quickly wandered over to the table just beneath a large oak tree where his friends were.

Joey greeted him by wrapping his arm around him and rubbing his fist against Yugi's head which earned the blonde a whine followed by a round of protests. Anzu smiled slightly as Yugi settled down in the seat beside her. "Hey, where's Seto?" Yugi asked Joey, Seto's boyfriend.

"I think he said something about meeting someone."

Yugi nodded before taking a shiny red apple out of his backpack and taking a bite into it. Tristan grimaced at the fruit and shook his head, "Is that _all _you're eating, Yugi? Don't you want _real _food?"

"It's okay. I'm not really hungry."

"Yeah, but it's not really health-" Tristan was immediately cut off when Seto's low, raspy voice cut through the air.

"Hey guys!" He greeted.

But no one paid mind to him as their eyes darted past the brunette, straight to the man standing a few feet behind him. Yugi's jaw nearly dropped at the man tailing behind Seto. The tanned man just screamed 'Yami' but Yugi knew this man was not him. The man indeed shared Yami's sharp features and hair. But the eyes were different. They were of the sweetest wine and his skin was the color of rich caramel. Those deep violet orbs met Yugi's brighter violet ones and Yugi sat in amazement as thin lips pulled back to reveal bright, gleaming teeth. Oh, yeah, definitely _not _Yami

Seto seemed to notice the staring and rolled his eyes. "Guys, this is my cousin, Atem. He's from Egypt."

"Egypt? Damn, man, that's far! What made you come all the way to Domino?"

The teen, named Atem, shrugged casually, "My parents decided to move and well, we ended up here."

That voice was so sinfully sweet, so smooth like velvet that it made Yugi's insides tingle. He swallowed the bit of apple he'd had in his mouth for some time now and winced as it slowly worked its way down his throat. Atem's gaze landed on Yugi again and Yugi could've sworn there was some sort of magnetic field drawing him towards Atem.

"Anyway, Atem, this is Joey, Tristan, Miho, Anzu, and Yugi." Seto pointed out each and every member of their little group.

Atem walked up to Yugi and smiled gently, "Hello, Yugi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Yugi's cheeks lit up a bright crimson as Anzu and Miho snickered beside him. He shot them a glare before turning back to Atem, "I-it's nice to meet you, too, Atem. I hope you've been enjoying Domino so far."

"I have. Though I must say, it's gotten a whole lot better." He winked, sending Yugi's mind reeling.

Yugi thought he was going to faint but thankfully he didn't. Just as he was about to open his mouth again, the atmosphere changed, a chill lingering in the air as all eyes gazed towards the school. All chatter coming from the students ceased completely as a certain figure walked through the courtyard, eyes focused straight ahead as he paid no mind to the students practically ogling at him.

_Yami… _Yugi thought and those wicked crimson eyes met his. They held him there, keeping him rooted in his spot. He didn't know what it was about Yami but the man's eyes had this hold on him. Every single time he stared into those demented eyes, Yugi was rendered completely helpless; paralyzed. Yugi gave a visible shudder as Yami passed by causing the smallest and briefest of smirks to grace the darker's lips.

Finally, the heavy atmosphere dissipated as Yami sat alone beneath the sakura tree, positioned in the corner of the courtyard, _away _from everyone else. Atem let out an audible sigh. "So, who is that?"

"His name is Yami Sennen. But he's bad news, bro. I'd stay as far away from him as possible. He's a complete lunatic." Joey muttered.

"Yeah. He's committed every horrendous crime you could think of, including murder."

"Murder?" Atem arched a brow.

"He killed his father... " Yugi murmured quietly.

"What?!"

Yugi glanced over in Yami's direction and was half-terrified when he found Yami gazing intently at him. Yugi could swear he saw something in those eyes but he tore his gaze away the moment they narrowed at him. He didn't want to piss off Yami, knowing exactly what he was capable of.

"How do you know he killed his father?" Atem asked curiously.

Yugi sighed. "I was there."

Silence. That was the response Yugi received to his reply. His friends looked away uncomfortably as Atem's gaze remained focused on Yugi. "You saw this happen?"

"Well, I didn't actually _see_ him kill his father but on the day I moved here, I saw Yami coming home around maybe eight o'clock. There was shouting coming from his house and then suddenly his mother let out a terrible scream. My grandpa called the cops immediately and I saw them take Yami away in handcuffs. He was...coated in blood. However, he was back the next day."

"Well, that's only because authorities don't want to mess with him." Joey side-glanced Yami, "They know better than to deal with him. Anyone that gets too close to him ends up dead or something of the like. Last year, this kid tried to get into a fight with Yami, thinking he was all tough shit and a day later, he's found in front of the school screaming in terror, talking about the shadows attacking him and torturing him. It was trippy."

"I see." Atem's lips pressed into a firm line as his eyes scanned the so-called 'psychopath'. Yugi glanced up at Atem before followed his gaze to Yami, who in turn gazed back, his eyes flashing with something Yugi's couldn't quite fathom. Atem's eyes narrowed before he looked away.

_What was _that_? _Yugi wondered. However, he left it as is. He didn't want to get mixed up in whatever was happening between the two males. Another visible shudder ran down his spine as he continued to slowly munch on his blood-red apple.

* * *

**Shadow Games by Trixie Riess **

_Long ago in the ancient past_

_I remember a life when we first met_

_In a dark shadow world _

_Under a big full moon_

_There and then I could tell_

_You'd try to break my will_

_But now watch as I rise_

_To a whole new height _

_And my mad battle cry _

_Will be heard all night_

_You keep on playing _

_Those dark shadow games and _

_No, I won't be beat again_

_You keep on playing _

_Those dark shadow games and _

_All this time I've prayed my friend _

_So, now you know after time has passed_

_You can never be sure you're always the best_

_Cuz I'm back from the shadows _

_Coming after you_

_On the brightest day_

_In your darkest hour _


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to update since my creative juices were flowing and I thought I'd give you all a better ideo of this story. Oh. And you'll probably end up switching back and forth in between loving Yami and hating him. But we'll get to that in the later chapters. Anyway, hope you enjoy! And don't forget to review! ^^**

* * *

"So, Yugi, you're coming to Otogi's party tonight, right?" Anzu asked as they walked to the lockers after their last class of the day.

"I don't know. Parties aren't really my thing and knowing Otogi, he's probably going to get drunk and hit on pretty much anything that lives and breathes."

"I think it's funny. Like that one time where he got so drunk he thought Tristan was a girl and tried to get all touchy with him. He, like, tried to grab his boobs and he was like 'oh my God, girl, you are so flat!"

Yugi chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that was kind of funny. But I don't know, Anzu…"

"Come on, Yugi. Please? It'll be fun. Look, if it gets to rowdy, we'll leave, okay?"

Yugi sighed and relented. "Fine. You know, you're lucky Grandpa is leaving for a dig this afternoon. I get the car for the weekend."

"Really? Great! We can go shopping then!"

Yugi grimaced, "Not exactly what I had in mind, Anzu."

As the two walked to the lockers, Yugi felt a cold brush of air dance across the nape of his neck. His skin prickled and a tremor ran down his spine. His eyes scanned the area, as if searching for some logical explanation for this strange sensation but there was no one around. The air was still, undisturbed; not even the leaves rustled.

"Yugi, are you alright?" Anzu asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just...I thought I-nevermind. Anyway, you were saying something?

"I was just thinking, do you think Atem is coming tonight?"

Yugi stopped walking and turned to Anzu with an arched brow, "Why so curious? You don't have a little crush on him, do you?"

"What?! Oh, geez! No!" Anzu shook her head before smiling knowingly, "If anything, I'd say Atem has a little something going on for you. Hell, Yugi, he was practically undressing you with his eyes!"

Yugi's cheeks turned a dark crimson as he looked away bashfully, "That is not true! You're the one that's the pervert! Stop reading your Yaoi mangas and fanfiction-Gah!"

Yugi stumbled back slightly as be bumped into something hard. He heard a slight grunt and cringed knowing he'd walked into a person.

"Are you alright?" Yugi's eyes widened. That voice. He'd just heard it a few hours ago in the cafeteria. His face burned a deeper red. "Yugi?"

"S-sorry, I guess I wasn't watching where I was going. H-hi, Atem." Yugi instantly perked up, a slight blush still evident on his cheeks.

Atem chuckled, his laugh as smooth as silk. "It's alright. However, you seem flushed. Are you running a fever?" He placed a gentle palm against Yugi's forehead.

Yugi gulped. _Oh, God...he's touching me! What do I do?! _"I-I'm fine. Thank you for your concern though."

Anzu then took this opportunity to butt in and flashed Atem a radiant smile, that Yugi, had he not had a preference for males, would've fallen head over heels for anyday. "So, Atem! Are you going to Otogi's party tonight?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have...'business' to attend to outside of town. Are you going, Yugi?" Atem smiled at Yugi kindly.

"O-oh, yeah. This one," He nudged a thumb in Anzu's direction, "Is forcing me to go. But it's a shame you can't make it."

"Indeed. It would've been nice to get to know you a little better." He winked and Yugi nearly had a heart attack. Damn, this guy! How the hell could he be so charming? Yugi once again concluded that this boy, Atem, was _not_ Yami Sennen.

"Well, we best be on our way. Come on, Yugi. Let's get a move on! Nice talking to you, Atem! See you Monday!" Anzu grabbed Yugi's shoulders and ushered him away while waving back at Atem.

Atem waved back. However, just as the two turned the corner and disappeared from sight, his gaze fell towards the shadows along the walls. "Do you normally follow the boy like that?"

Suddenly, his duplicate materialized from the shadows. Crimson eyes met Atem's deep violet and narrowed, "Were you always such a damn flirt?"

"He's caught my interest is all."

"Dangerous game you're playing, Your _Highness__. _I'd advise you not to get involved with him but I personally don't give a fuck."

Atem smirked, "Is that so? And yet you're following him around like a lost puppy. Honestly, your actions contradict your words."

"And you're starting to piss me the hell off." The other growled, "And I _know _for a fact that you wouldn't be as half the cocky bastard that you are now if it weren't for The Seal placed on you. But it'll fade and you're bound to fuck shit up."

Atem's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No," The other scoffed and rolled his eyes before those crimson orbs flashed back to him, "It's a warning. Your power could be a danger. Not that I give two shits of what happens to the boy, but it would grately affect me if something should happen to him. Somehow, someway, people will find a way to pin it on _me_. So, I already have enough shit on my 'juvenile record' and I don't need another murder to go on it."

"You really killed your father?"

"About high time, right? The bastard tried to attack my mother. I did what I had to and killed him. The asshole got off too easy if you ask me. If my mind had been more clearer at the moment, I would've done more than kill that son of a bitch. I would've _destroyed _him."

"Your violent tendencies aren't very becoming of you. You weren't originally like this and both of us know it." Atem leaned against the lockers casually, "You've changed quite a bit."

"What the fuck did you expect? For me to go prancing around in a fucking meadow, singing God damn happy tunes? You've got to be fucking braindead to think that."

"Such vulgarity, too." Atem clicked his tongue, "Understandable; this world has gone to Hell, that's for sure."

"Damn right. Five thousand years and this is what happened. You know, as the Millenia go by, the more fucked up this world becomes. And with that, the more bitter I get."

"You're still a good man. Regardless of all that's happened. I hope you know that."

The other smirked bitterly and laughed sarcastically, "You've seriously lost your Goddamn mind. I'm not _good _anymore, Atem. I'm not. My life has gone to shit. Has been going to shit for the past five millennia. This world...it's a fucked up place. It's not what it used to be."

Atem stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly, as if understanding him, "And that is why you watch over the boy. Because he reminds you of _him_. You want to protect him from this world because you could not do it in the past."

Crimson eyes flashed slightly before dying out. The teen growled and turned to walk away, "This has _nothing _to do with _him_. Anyway, do me a favor, Atem, and stay the fuck away from me and _never _mention _him_ again."

A cloud of black smoke surrounded the teen as Atem watched him. He sighed, "You've always been a horrible liar...Yami."

Yami's hands clenched into fists before the clouds consumed him. Just as the smoke dissipated, a raven shot out from the smoke, it's wings beating slightly as it took off into the cloudy gray sky.

* * *

Yugi was pretty sure that he did not belong here. He was just about ready to bolt it out the door as soon as he stepped foot into Otogi's house-and would have too, had his best friend, Anzu not grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back into the house.

Bodies. There were bodies everywhere, crowding the average size house. There was hardly any breathing space left and Yugi felt claustrophobic. His face scrunched up in disgust as he witnessed the crowd of hormonal teenagers grind against each other to the beat of the pounding music. _This _was definitely not where Yugi belonged.

No. He belonged at home where it was nice and quiet and where he could curl up on his bed and read a book. Yes, that is what he desperately craved at the current moment. Not this mess of sweaty, obnoxious crowd of teens. A few bodies bumped into him and all he could do was try to keep his balance in attempt to keep himself from being trampled upon. He pushed his way through the crowd until he came to the staircase. He sat on the third step and leaned against the bars of the railing, watching as the people danced and chatted loudly amongst themselves. He shut his eyes for a moment and tried to tune everyone out.

Just as everything was beginning to fade away, a cold chill, much like the one he experienced earlier brushed lightly across his cheek, falling down his neck. His eyes snapped open and he was jerked back into reality; the loud, rambunctious music and chanting flooding his ear drums. His eyes scanned around him frantically, though he did not know what he was looking for exactly. He knew, just _knew _something was not right here. This hadn't been the first time he felt the sensation, heck, it hadn't even been the second. He had felt it ever since he set foot in this town.

Domino seemed to be playing tricks on him. There were times when he could _swear _he had seen shadows move from the corner of his eye or he'd feel as if someone, or something was watching him. It made him feel on edge and normally resulted in him sleeping with the nightlight on. Pathetic for a senior in high school but it made him feel safer. He always felt safer in the light. The darkness seemed all too dreadful.

* * *

He sighed and rested his chin in the palms of his hands, his elbows resting on his thighs. Boredom soon overtook him. He really had no idea why Anzu insisted on him coming to Otogi's party when all he normally did at parties was sit on the side in hopes that it would all be over soon so that he could go home and curl under the covers in bed.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed and quickly fished it out of his pocket, thinking that it was his grandfather. However, he frowned when he saw that it was from an unknown number that simply said, 'Hello.'

Yugi texted back:

'Who is this?'

Not a minute passed before he received another text, 'Take a guess.'

Yugi's lips twitched in mild amusement. Oh, so this stranger wanted to play games, huh? Well, he was all for games, 'Have we met?'

'Obviously, if I am texting you.'

'Hmm...I know you, huh? Are you at Otogi's party right now?'

'No. I am...elsewhere. I believed we've had this discussion before. Big enough hint for you?'

A smile curled up upon Yugi's lips when it finally dawned on him who exactly he was texting, or rather, who was texting him. His fingers danced across the keyboard in skilled movement, 'Atem? How did you get my number?'

'A little birdy told me.'

Yugi rolled his eyes, 'Oh, really? Stalker much? If you wanted my number, you could've just asked, you know?'

'Ah, but where's the fun in that?'

Yugi giggled to himself as he continued to text Atem throughout the night, the party long forgotten. However, half way through his currently text, his phone began to glitch out. He frowned and tapped the home button on the phone repeatedly but his phone simply would not respond to him. He groaned and stuffed his phone back in his pocket in defeat. _Well, so much for that distraction. _And then, a soft, almost distant chuckle touched his ears and he tensed up.

He looked behind him but saw no one there. Nothing but shadows.

Yugi bit his lip and slowly stood up from the stairs. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable sitting there by himself. His eyes searched the crowd for Anzu until he finally found her dancing with Otogi. He once again made his 'dangerous' trek through the maze of people before reaching her and tugged on his wrist, "Anzu, let's go home. I'm tired. This party just isn't for me."

"Hey, Yugi." Otogi grinned, "Listen, if you want, I can take Anzu home. It's no problem. No alcohol here this time so it's safe to drive."

"Are you okay with this, Anzu?" Yugi was silently pleading for her to say 'no', not wanting to drive home by himself so late at night, especially past the Old Cemetery.

"Yeah, it's fine. Are you okay getting home on your own, Yugi?"

"I guess so. I'll call you when I get home, I guess."

Anzu nodded and resumed dancing with Otogi. Yugi sighed and managed to make it outside to his car. He quickly got inside and started the engine. The car gave a loud roar, the motor shaking violently for a second before settling to a milder rhythm. His grandfather's car was an old 1989 Toyota Tercel that was once a light blue but had faded to a rusty gray. Yugi always pestered his grandfather of getting a new car but was always met the reply of, 'As long as it runs, this metal box ain't going nowhere.'

Yugi blasted the radio has he drove home, trying to take his mind off of the darkness surrounding him. He was doing well in ignoring it all until the horrible screeching of his car caused him to panic slightly. The car sputtered and slowed down and Yugi was doing everything in his power to keep the car moving. His foot slammed on the accelerator repeatedly but he had no luck. The car rolled a few feet before coming to a dead stop in front of-much to Yugi's dismay and horror- the graveyard. He gulped and looked around the dark, empty road, dimly lit by the headlights of the car. _Why? Of all times, why?!_

His fell against the steering wheel as he tried to gather himself together, holding onto the small sliver of sanity he had left. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. It was then that a tapping sound caused him to jolt upwards. Yugi gasped and looked at his window only to meet a pair of gleaming crimson eyes. _Oh, dear God, he's come to kill me… _Was Yugi's only thought as he stared into those all too familiar crimson orbs.

Yami's lips moved but Yugi frowned, as his voice was blocked out by the glass. He took a chance and rolled down the windows slightly, "Car trouble?"

"Y-yes…" Yugi stuttered and gulped.

Yami stared at him for another second before sighing, "Pop the hood. We'll see what we're working with."

Yugi did as he was told. He thought about what he was doing for a moment and bit his lip. What if this was Yami's plan? What if he was planning to get Yugi comfortable around him so that at the very last second, he could strike and stab him or something? But...what if Yami was actually trying to help him?

Yugi took another deep breath and stepped out of the car and walked over to Yami, who was standing over the hood of the car, his flashlight pointed at the various gears and such in the car. "You got a toolbox on you?" Yami asked.

"Wh-what?"

"Do you not speak English?" Yami grumbled, "Do you or do you not have a fucking toolbox?"

"I-I don't know."

"Fucking hell, you're useless!" Yami exclaimed before walking over to the passenger side and yanking the glove compartment open and pulling out a small toolbox. "Looks like that old man was smart enough to keep a toolbox in the car for you."

"You know how to fix cars?"

"If I didn't, do you think I'd be helping you right now? Or are you just assuming that I'd purposely fuck you over and kill you like I _know _you're thinking right now." Yugi flinched at the bitterness in Yami's voice and suddenly felt guilty.

"S-sorry. I know you're just trying to help."

"Great. Now shut the hell up and let me work."

Yugi bit his tongue to refrain from firing back. He had the tendency to do that. He shivered slightly as the wind gusted by, ruffling his hair. He wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his shoulders, trying to keep warm. Yami's eyes flickered towards him for the briefest second before he stopped what he was doing, muttering under his breath. He shrugged off his black leather jacket and draped it over Yugi's shoulder, shocking the smaller teen.

Yugi's lips parted as a soft gasp left his lips.

Yami rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Don't think much of this. I honestly don't give a shit about you. I just thought I'd do my one good deed of the day."

Yami's words cut Yugi deep as he flinched back and watched Yami work in silence. His eyes slowly trailed down the road, dark and daunting. Peering into the darkness of the Old Cemetery gave Yugi a sudden uneasy feeling. A moment later, Yami sighed deeply and slammed the car hood down. "There. That should about do it-" He stopped short as his eyes scanned the trees, narrowing as they did.

Yugi noticed and followed Yami's gaze. "Wh-what is it?"

"Nothing. Get in the car."

"But-"

"Get in the fucking car, Mutou!" Yami hissed.

Yugi immediately obeyed and got into the car, turning the keys in the ignition. The car came to life and he let out a sigh of relief. "It works! Thank you-" He trailed off as he lifted his gaze and found the road empty;Yami no where in sight.

Yugi stepped out for a moment and looked up and down the road. _Where did he go?_ His brows furrowed in confusion. There was no way Yami could move that fast and yet, he was no where to be found. Had Yugi imagined that all? He gripped onto the jacket draped around his shoulders and the unsettling feeling returned. No, it was not a dream. Yami was here. Yami had helped him and then...disappeared. Just like a ghost.

Yugi shook his head. _No, no! Don't think such things. Just get home, Yugi, and forget about this! _He got back into his car and shrugged the jacket off, throwing it into the passenger seat. He then sped down the road back into town. He quickly parked the car in front of the house and cut the engine. He sat in the car for a moment, thinking about what happened. Yami had literally appeared out of nowhere and disappeared in pretty much the same fashion. Either Yami was a magician or he was something else entirely.

Violet orbs wandered over to the house to his left and saw that all the lights were out. No one was home. No one was ever home. There were only a few occasions that Yami would actually be home. Yugi didn't know where Yami went or spent his days, all he knew was the the teen was a walking enigma. He was a mystery; a dangerous one at that and Yugi couldn't help but find himself fascinated. Yugi had always loved mysteries but this one-this one seemed more deadly. Yami was unpredictable, Yugi knew that. However, could it be that the 'psychopath' was more than just that?

It was then that Yugi realized that he had never regarded Yami as ever being human. Then again, what kind of human would kill their own father in cold blood and commit the other horrendous acts he was rumored to have committed? _Rumors…._ are they all just rumors? Yugi didn't know. All he knew was what people told him and the one event he happened to have witnessed himself and even that was a bit fuzzy. He hadn't _seen _the murder take place, merely heard it and then had seen Yami get taken away.

Was Yugi wrong about Yami? Was _everyone _wrong about him? Yugi frowned and shook his head. Why was he even thinking this way? Just because Yami helped him _one _time, he's suddenly having doubts about the older boy's track record? Yami, _himself _had said that he didn't care about Yugi. He was just doing his 'good deed' as he put it. That thought once again sent Yugi back to the point of Yami being a good guy at heart, just misunderstood.

He groaned and palmed his forehead. All of this was giving him a headache. He exhaled and stepped out of the car, draping the jacket over one shoulder. He glanced at Yami's house once more before going inside his own, gripping Yami's jacket tightly. _I'll have to make sure to give this back… _

But who knew that, that by doing such a simple act would cause a chain reaction of events that would lead him to great danger…

* * *

**When The Darkness Comes by Colbie Caillat **

_Underneath the echoes_

_Buried in the shadows_

_There you were_

_Drawn into your mystery _

_I was just beginning _

_To see your ghost_

_But you must know_

_I'll be here waiting_

_Hoping, praying that_

_This light will guide you home_

_When you're feeling lost I'll leave my love_

_Hidden in the sun_

_For when the darkness comes_

_Now the door is open _

_The world I knew is broken _

_There's no return _

_Now my heart is not scared _

_Just knowing that you're out there _

_Watching me_

_So believe me _

_I'll be here waiting_

_Hoping, praying that_

_This light will guide you home_

_When you're feeling lost I'll leave my love_

_Hidden in the sun_

_For when the darkness comes _


	3. Chapter 3

**Omg, guys! I'm so proud of myself for actually making progress in this story. Also working on Lights, Camera, Action! I'm going to write a few more chapters for that story before I update. But I got up to ten chapters for Nevermore! :) I'm so excited to share them! ^^ Anyway, thanks for your support and I hope you're enjoying this fic so far. I may up the rating...it starts to get a bit...dark...in a few more chapters...so uh...be prepared. If anything, I'll edit it so it's not so bad. Depends on you guys and if you think you can handle it. **

**Please review! Thank you!**

* * *

Yugi stumbled into his bedroom and collapsed onto his bed tiredly. He rubbed his face into the pillows, trying to find comfort in his bed. It had been a tiring night and he really needed a good night's sleep, especially after the run-in with Yami Sennen.

He took a few deep breaths before turning onto his back, staring at the blank ceiling, grimacing as he noticed the shadows stretching across the pale, white walls; ominous and sinister. He shook his head and pulled the blanket over his head, shutting his eyes tightly. _Don't be afraid, Yugi. They're just shadows. They aren't going to hurt you. _

He relaxed a bit as he thought this until a slight vibration beside him caused him to become alert once more. He reached out for his phone and brought it to his face to investigate who had texted him. A grin spread across his face as he read the text, 'Yugi? Are you alright? You haven't responded in a while. Having too much fun partying?'

Yugi chuckled and texted back, 'No. I'm at home now. Sorry for the late reply. My phone was glitching earlier for some reason.'

'Oh, I see. I was beginning to grow worried for you.'

'I'm fine, Atem. Thanks for the concern though. Anyway, you'll never guess what happened on my drive home!'

'What happened?'

Yugi suddenly felt anxious. Should he tell Atem what happened? Should he tell _anyone _what happened? Then again, it wasn't as if he was told not to tell anyone. His fingers danced slowly across the keyboard on his phone, 'My car broke down in the middle of the road right next to the Old Cemetery! Talk about luck, right?'

Yugi half expected a joking reply back but instead Atem sent back a rather serious text, 'What? Are you alright? If that happens again, run immediately, understand?

Yugi frowned, 'What? Why?'

'...That place is dangerous. Never go there alone, alright?'

_Dangerous? _Yugi thought to himself. On another note, Atem just moved to Domino, right? How could he possibly know that the Old Cemetery was dangerous? However, Yugi decided not to think about it and instead continued on with his story, 'I understand. Anyway, you'll never guess who helped me.'

'Who?'

'Yami Sennen!'

There was a long pause between replies. Yugi had almost thought Atem had fallen asleep or something. It was fifteen minutes later that Atem finally replied, 'Oh, is that so?'

'I know! Crazy, right?! It was so weird! He just appeared out of no where and then after he helped me, he sort of just...disappeared.'

'Did he now?'

'Yeah. But before that, he was acting a little weird. He kept glancing around the trees. He seemed upset or anxious about something. I tried to ask him what was wrong but he just cursed at me and told me to get in the car. When I looked back up to thank him, he was gone. Creepy, right?'

'Yeah...creepy. Anyway, you should be getting some sleep now, Little One. It's half past one.'

Yugi nodded to himself. He did feel tired and his eyelids were already heavy with sleep. And so he texted a quick 'good night' to Atem before pulling the covers over himself once more. However, just as he wa about to place his phone on his nightstand, he received a final cryptic text.

'Sleep with the light on. Stay out of the shadows.'

Yugi frowned again. What did Atem mean by that? But he didn't need to be told twice. Without wasting a second thought, he reached over and turned the lamp on beside his bed. He then placed his phone down for the night and relaxed into his bed. It wasn't long before his eyes fell closed but not before he felt a cold sensation brush across his cheeks; as if someone had ran their fingers gently across his face. Before he could question it anymore, he fell into a deep slumber, unaware of the pair of crimson eyes watching him through the shadows in the corner of his room.

* * *

_**Running. Yugi was running. To what and where, he did not know. A heavy blanket of mist surrounded him, obstructing his view from anything around him to give him some sign of where he might be. He panted heavily as he continued to run, following the trail laid before him. His bare feet hurt, dirtied with mud and blood. The twigs and small, jagged rocks in the ground cut his sensitive feet. **_

_**His lungs felt like they were on fire as he continued to run wih all his might. Finally, his eyes caught a shadowy figure moving through the mist. He looked towards it as it grew closer and closer. And then suddenly, out from the mist flew a raven, shrouded in something dark, yet alluring. Yugi followed the ebony colored bird. It let out a screech and soon the mist cleared some, allowing Yugi a better view of his surroundings. **_

_**His blood ran cold when it dawned on him that he had been running through the Old Cemetery. Why was he here? And where was this bird leading him? Finally the bird descended and landed on top a lone gravestone in the back of the cemetery. Yugi kneeled down and cleared the vines and weeds from the stone to get a better look at the name. **_

_**Yuki Hayashi.**_

_**That was all that was inscribed onto the stone. No date of birth, just the name, not a familiar one to Yugi but it caused something to stir inside him, he just did not know what. **_

_**Just who was Yuki Hayashi? Another screech tore through the air and Yugi lifted his head to look up to the mausoleum where on the roof sat a Pheonix, a **_**white **_**Pheonix; its wings as pure white as freshly fallen snow. The raven sqwaked back and flew towards the White Phoenix, talons extended. **_

"_**NO! Don't!" Yugi pleaded. **_

_**But his voice did not reach the bird's ears. The raven and the Phoenix collided. Black and white feathers fell from the sky, littering the soil below. Yugi held his hand out as a black feather landed gently in the palm of his hand. **_

"_**Yugi." **_

_**Yugi lifted his head up at the sound of the voice peered through the mist, only able to make out a faint silhouette of a person and then he caught the eyes; fiery, blood red eyes. **_

Yugi jolted upright in bed, sweat beading on his forehead and the bridge of his nose. He panted heavily as he looked around his dimly lit room. He held a hand to his chest, feeling his erratic heartbeat beneath his fingertips. _What was _ that? He thought to himself.

_Yuki Hayashi. _That name seemed to engrave itself into his mind and no matter how much Yugi wanted to ignore it and shake it off as nothing but a strange, yet vivid dream, in the back of his mind he knew that something wasn't right. He sighed and glanced over at his alarm clock on his nightstand and saw that it was around three-thirty in the morning.

He groaned and fell back against the pillows. _Great_, it was half past three in the morning and he was wide awake thanks to that dream. Slowly, he sat up again and swung his feet off the edge of the bed, staring at his window, covered by thick curtains. He slid off the bed and grimaced as his feet made contact with the chilled hard wooden floor.

He drew the curtains back and jumped back in fright as he was met with hundreds of crows sitting in the tree beside his house, staring back at him with ominous red eyes. He screamed and stumbled backwards, pushing himself as far away from the window as possible. _No, no! This is just a dream! _He shut his eyes and pressed his fists to the sides of his head, shaking his head frantically.

_Just a dream. Just a dream! You're seeing things, Yugi! _ He took a deep breath and lifted his head up again and sighed in relief when he saw that the tree was empty; the pale moonlight slipping through the gaps in the tree. He gulped and closed his eyes again, trying to get ahold of himself. That was when he heard a loud tap against his window. His eyes fluttered open and his heart stilled when he saw Yami staring out from his bedroom window.

Yugi got up and slowly walked to the window. Yami's eyes were as haunting and unsettling as usual as they moved frantically, as if searching Yugi's room for something. Yugi turned around but saw nothing there. He propped the window open and tilted his head in confusion, "Yami?"

Yami snapped his eyes back at Yugi and Yugi gulped as those eyes narrowed, "What the fuck are you doing screaming in the middle of the night?" He hissed.

Yugi blinked. Yami had heard him? More than that, Yami was _home_. Yami was _never _home. That just seemed to throw Yugi even more off. No matter, he still felt guilty for waking Yami up like this, "I-I'm sorry, Yami. I-I thought I saw something."

"Saw what?" Yami's voice came out harsher than intended and Yugi visibly flinched at the hostility his voice seemed to carry.

"I-I thought I saw crows in the tree. Th-they were staring at me. I-I got scared. But I think it was just a dream."

Yami looked away momentarily, muttering something under his breath. Yugi didn't try to understand. He knew that it was most likely a string of curses. Yami had a very _colorful _vocabulary. "Yami?" Yugi tried to catch the other boy's attention.

Yami slowly turned back to Yugi, his eyes flickering with something Yugi could not make out. "Get back to sleep. And sleep with the lights on."

"I am. I have my lamp on-"

"Not enough. Turn on your room light."

Yugi furrowed his brows, "But then I won't be able to sleep. Why do I-."

"Fuck!" The other boy hissed through clenched teeth as he glared at Yugi fiercely, "Do you have to question every fucking thing I tell you? Shit, Mutou. You give me a fucking migraine!"

"S-sorry…" Yugi bit his lip and turned away, a bit hurt. He heard Yami curse again and his glanced around his room until they landed on the Yami's jacket hanging on the chair beside his desk. "Oh, Yami, I have something of yours."

"What?" Yami grumbled.

Yugi walked over to the chair and took the jacket off the chair and walked back over to the window. "I still have your jacket. I thought you'd might want it back. I washed it, too. It smelled kind of funny and had dirt stains-"

"Keep it." Yami muttered.

Yugi's head snapped up as he tilted his head in confusion, "What?"

"Are you fucking deaf, Mutou? I said keep it!"

"Why?"

Yami sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, "Seriously, you need to stop fucking questioning everything I tell you and just _do it_."

Yugi bit his lip and set the jacket on the bed. He didn't know why Yami wanted him to keep the jacket. After all, it seemed rather expensive and it was made of leather of all things! Yugi wasn't exactly one to wear such a material.

An audible sigh caught his attention and he turned back to Yami who retreated back into his room, his fiery orbs boring into Yugi's mind. "I'm not going to tell you again, turn on your damn lights. If not, whatever. I don't give a fuck." Yami slammed his window shut and closed the curtains.

Yugi bit the insides of his cheeks. He didn't know why Yami was so hostile towards him. What did he even _do_? Had he angered the boy in some way? Then again, this was just Yami's nature. He was harsh, cold, and uncaring towards anyone or anything. But then his mind wandered to what happened earlier that night. Yami had helped him. Even if it was because he was simply doing his 'one good deed of the day', he helped. And someone who helped others couldn't be all that bad, right? No, deep down inside, Yami was good and Yugi knew that.

He actually felt bad for Yami. After all, it must be tiring hating everything and everyone in the world. Yami was always alone but Yugi wanted to be able to change that somehow. No one deserved to be alone. Not even someone like Yami. No, not even him. He walked over to the light switch and flicked the lights on, chasing away all the darkness.

He crawled back into bed and reached over to pick up his phone. Just as he touched the device, it began to vibrate. He looked at the caller ID and saw it was none other than Atem. A smile graced his lips as he answered the call, "Hello?" Yugi spoke, his voice light and child-like.

A deep, breathy chuckle touched his ears, making him shiver. "Hello, Little One."

"Hi, what are you doing calling at four in the morning? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Another chuckle, "Shouldn't I be asking _you _that? You're up, too, aren't you? Or have I woke you up? Although, judging by how clear your voice is, it seems you've been up for quite some time."

"Well, you're not wrong actually."

"So, what's got you up at this time of the night-morning?"

Yugi smiled and rolled onto his back, pressing the phone to his ear, "I just has a strange dream is all. And then I had a little chat with Yami.

"Yami?" The tone of Atem's voice changed ever so slightly; laced with curiosity and...irritation? "The town Psychopath?" He joked.

Yugi giggled, "Yes, him. Apparently, he heard me scream so he checked up on me, I guess. It was strange though. He kept looking around my room and he got mad at me when I asked him why I should leave my lights on. I mean, I usually leave my lamp on but he insisted that I leave my bedroom light on, too. Strange, right? I can't exactly sleep with this much light and-" Yugi stopped for a moment, realizing he'd been rambling. "Atem?"

There was silence on the other line and Yugi frowned. Had he bored Atem? Was he talking too much? As if sensing his worry, the other finally responded. "Sorry. I just...I just wanted to savor it."

"Savor what?"

"Your voice."

Yugi's face heated up in an instant, his cheeks practically glowing. He bit his lip and licked his lips slighly before responding, "R-really?"

"Yeah. It's very soothing. And it reminds me of someone I used to know." Yugi could hear the smile in Atem's voice.

"Oh, really? So, you're just using me then?" Yugi joked.

"Never. I'd never do that. The person I'm interested in is Yugi Mutou now. And I'd very much like to get to know him."

"Well, I'm sure he'd very much like to get to know you, too."

The two laughed quietly. Yugi found himself relaxing bit by bit as he listened to Atem's voice. "So, talk to me. Tell me about yourself. Who is Yugi Mutou?"

Yugi smiled to himself before telling his story. And the rest of the early morning went on like that, the two engaged in light conversation, sharing a few hushed laughs and whispers. It was around five in the morning when Yugi finally began to feel sleepy. His eyes slowly closed as his grip on his phone loosened and his breathing evened out as he fell into a peaceful slumber, but not before the gentlest of whispers touched his ear, "Sleep tight, Little One."

* * *

Crimson eyes scanned the dimly lit streets, narrowing ever so slightly as they carefully peered into the shadows. His wild, untamed tri-colored locks danced in the wind as it blew by gently, caressing his skin as he perched himself on the roof of the house that belonged to the boy next door. He was masked in shadows, hidden from the mortal eye.

The sound of wings caught his attention and he turned to find his tanned look-alike standing there, arms crossed over his chest. "I had a feeling you were here."

"What are you doing here?" Yami hissed.

"I should be asking you that. I thought you didn't 'give a fuck' about what happened to Yugi? And yet, here you are, watching over him."

Yami huffed and turned away, "Don't get the wrong idea. I _don't_ give a fuck of what happens to the kid, I just don't feel comfortable of someone playing games so close to my home."

Atem's expression turned serious then, "So, I was right. Somewhat has chosen Yugi as their target…"

"Someone's playing a shadow game, alright. As to why they decided to make such a weak kid their victim, I don't know. All I know is that if they come anywhere near me, I'll fucking tear them apart." Yami snarled.

Atem studied Yami for a moment before glanced out into the distance for a moment, his eyes focused on the slow rising run. In just a few hours, the sun would rise and they would have to retreat back inside, for there would be no shadows to hide in once the light touched the earth. He turned back to Yami and clicked his tongue, "I heard what you did for him."

"Oh, don't you start! I don't fucking care about him. I don't think anything of him. In fact, he's damn annoying and nothing but a nuisance in my life! He could die for all I care!"

Atem chuckled and shook his head, "Oh, so you don't mind if I were to, say, ask him out?"

Yami paused for a moment, shock evident on his face. However, it was gone as quickly as it appeared and his eyes hardened, swimming with shadows. "Didn't you hear me? I don't give a shit. Do what you want with him."

"If this bothers you, tell me now and be honest with me. I'll stop." Atem said, seriously, gauging Yami's expression.

Yami turned away and clenched his jaw, closing his eyes, knowing that Atem would be able to read them as always. "I. Don't. Care."

"Very well. If you say so."

Yami took another step away but paused momentarily, "But I warn you now, if you lose your shit because you can't control it, don't come crying to me."

"You underestimate my self-control, Yami. It's you that needs to learn control. The shadows are practically buzzing around inside you, waiting to be unleashed. I can see it in your eyes."

"And I see that all you're going to say is bullshit. So, good night, _Pharaoh_."

Atem grimaced at the title but quickly recomposed himself. "Good night, _faithful servant_."

Yami stiffened at the title. He had not heard that for five millennia now and it stirred something within him. Images flashed in his head of his past and he quickly closed his eyes to block the memories out. "Don't fucking call me that." Yami gritted his teeth.

"Then do not call me Pharaoh. My kingdom is long gone."

"Yeah. That's not the only thing." Yami said bitterly before the shadows surrounded him, cloaking him.

Atem watched as the shadows cleared, revealing the spot empty now. He sighed and held his hand out, shadows spilling from his fingers, crawling along the roof of the house, spreading until the shadows completely encased the small little house.

He jumped down from the room, landing soundly on the ground and dematerialized into shadows, slipping through the window. He stood at the side of Yugi's bed and reached a shadowy hand out to gently touch the pale cheek, causing the little one to shiver slightly. "I couldn't have you in the past but I'll do everything to have you now."

Atem leant down and pressed a soft kiss to the boy's brow before leaning away. He stared down at Yugi longingly for a moment before fading into the shadows as the light filtered in through the curtains.

* * *

**Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars **

_I remember tears streaming down your face _

_When I said, "I'll never let you go"_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Don't you dare look out your window, darling,_

_Everything's on fire_

_The war outside out door keeps raging on_

_Hold on to this lullaby _

_Even when the music's gone_

_Gone_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now _

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound _


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, so this chapter is a little lengthy, kind of dull but hope you enjoy anyway. There will be more excitement next chapter though! ^^Promise, maybe even a little badass-ness from Atem and Yami. ;) Anyway, thank you all for your support and lovely reviews! I greatly appreciate it! **

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

Yugi's eyes fluttered open as the sun's rays kissed his eyelids. He sat up in bed slowly and stretched out his tired limbs, letting out a big yawn. He smacked his lips a couple times before scooting to the edge of his bed. He glanced back at his pillow where his phone laid before reaching over to pick it up. He fumbled with it as he winced at the heat that radiated from the overheated phone.

He frowned and quickly unlocked his phone, only to see Atem's contact come up as the most recent calls. The early morning events slowly clicked in his mind and he gasped when he realized that he had fallen asleep on Atem! He glanced at the call time and saw that they had talked for a good two hours and fifteen minutes. _Wow, it's no wonder my phone overheated. I was on it for so long! _

Yugi set the phone carefully on the nightstand to cool off and switched his lamp off before stumbling over to the light switch to turn his room light off, the light not necessary with the natural light the sun offered. He opened his door and made his way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. He followed his daily routine of brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and changing his clothes; dressing in a navy blue sweater and jeans.

He then trudged downstairs to the kitchen where he fixed himself a bowl of cereal, staring at the empty chair across from him. His grandpa would be back by later in the evening, which meant Yugi had the day to do pretty much anything until then. Finishing his bowl in unhurried fashion, he walked over to the sink, washing his dishes, drying them and putting them away properly.

He then ran back up to his room to retrieve his phone before wandering back downstairs to watch some TV. Yugi flipped through the channels carelessly, looking for anything that would catch his attention until he landed on the History Channel. _Egypt. Interesting. _

Yugi set the remote down and watched with curious fascination as the narrator spoke of the ancient times, talking about the pyramids, the first great Pharaohs of the the land and so on. Yugi was very knowledgeable of the subject, courtesy of his grandfather who was obsessed with Egyptology. Yugi, himself, had become rather fascinated with the cuture. It intrigued him and excited him in a way that was unusual for a boy his age. Most seventeen, going on eighteen year old boys were more focused on cars, models, and the like but not Yugi. No, he was interested in the mysteries of the Pyramids, the 'curses' the tombs held, and the Dark Magic said to linger in the tombs of the Pharaohs.

"Legend has it that thousands of years ago when the pyramids were still young, Egyptians played a game of great and terrible power. These were known as Shadow Games. In these games, these powerful Egyptians would unleash the power of the shadows, tormenting their enemy with illusions, invoking their greatest fears and playing with their minds. Those who were too weak to fight against the shadows were often consumed and were said to have lost their mind."

_Shadow Games? _The term made Yugi shudder though he did not know why. The idea of playing a Shadow Game did not bode well for Yugi. It made him feel uneasy, uncomfortable, and down right terrified. Yugi shook his head and smiled to himself. It wasn't like the Shadow Games were real, right? It was just some urban legend to keep the tourists and spectators interested. Though Yugi couldn't help but feel drawn to it, the history of Egypt, the legends, the myths, the mystery of the Shadow Games.

The narrator went on to elaborate further on the subject, "Said Shadow Games, however, erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the entire world. That is until a the magic was one day locked away. A Seal was placed upon these beings so that their power could not be used to harm others. It is said that some of these powerful beings still linger to this day. They walk among us, waiting for the Seal to break so that they may once again wreak havoc upon the world."

Yugi hadn't even realized that his jaw was hanging open until he noticed that his mouth and lips had gone dry and he drew in a long breath of air. He shook his head and licked his lips, moistening them up once more. His eyes flickered back to the television as the credits rolled on the screen. Yugi pressed a hand to chest, feeling his heart beating freverently. He glanced down at his other hand and frowned when he realized just how hard he was clutching onto the sofa cover. He immediately loosened his grip and wiggled his fingers, relieving the aching feeling in his joints from gripping so tightly.

"Wow, the story really got me worked up, I guess." He muttered to himself as he reached over for the remote and flipped the channel to Nickelodeon and settled on watching SpongeBob.

His heart slowed as the heavy atmosphere that seemed to surround him dissipated, the mood instantly lightening as the the theme song for that iconic yellow sponge came on. Yugi smiled to himself, reminded of his early childhood days when he would make his parents watch the show with him.

Yugi's stomach knotted painfully at the memory of his parents. Images flickered in his mind; blood, his father's pale face, this mother hanging lifelessly from the tree, the raven, more blood, red, gleaming eyes. His breath caught in his throat as his pupils dilated as he recalled the events of his not too distant past. He clutched his chest, gripping onto his shirt tightly as sweat began to roll down his forehead. _Fear, pain, agony… _these emotions all surged inside him, slowly tearing him apart.

He shook his head as he tried to get ahold of himself again. After all this time, he had been able to keep himself together. Despite his parents' death being quite traumatizing, he managed to keep it together in order to avoid some serious psycho-therapy. He didn't need that. He didn't _need _to talk to someone about it. Hell, he didn't _want _to talk about it. In fact, he wanted to just forget it and put it behind him. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like that was happening. He had been doing so _well_ without having a mental breakdown, not having any episodes as the detectives at the precinct had said he would.

While Yugi still had nightmares, it wasn't so bad that it required him to go to mental hospital nor was it bad enough to keep him from living normally. He was able to function just as well as everyone else and the tragic event hardly affected his personality, _hardly_. It didn't mean it left him completely unscathed. No, he had changed since then. Yugi had once viewed the world with such child-like innocence, never seeing anything evil or bad. He was always positive, hardly ever seeing the darkness in anyone. He always believed that there was good in everything, there was always light.

However, since the death of his parents he wasn't so sure of that anymore. The light that he used to see everywhere, the _good _he once saw in everyone and everything was no longer there. He saw darkness, he saw evil; and it lived right next door to him. The innocence that was left in Yugi wanted to believe that there was good Yami, _really _wanted to believe but the Yugi that had seen death, that had seen terrible, terrible things was not quite sure.

He wanted to help Yami. He really did but he was afraid, something he had not known before. But that seemed to be the emotion that took up majority of his nights these days; fear. He was afraid. But then again what type of sane person wouldn't be?

Yugi was brought out of his thoughts when his phone rang. He answered it without looking at the caller ID and held it up to his ear, "Hello?" His voice was a breathy whisper.

"Yugi? Are you alright?" A concerned voice asked over the phone.

"A-Atem!" Yugi sat upright abruptly and shook his fears away. "Hi, good morning."

"Hello, Little One. Are you alright? You sound...troubled."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just stuck in my thoughts is all."

"Does this have something to do with your parents?"

Yugi stiffened. Although he talked to Atem about his life, he had left out the gruesome details of his parents' murder and instead settled on giving him a rather vague answer and told him that they died in an accident, not wanting to give too much away to someone he'd just met yet made him feel like they'd known each other for years. "A-a little…" Yugi swallowed thickly.

"Well, I'm not one to pry but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. You know that, right? I don't want you to think that you would be burdensome to me."

Yugi smiled faintly, "Thanks, but I'm okay. Really. I just...miss them is all."

"That's normal. I miss my parents, too."

"You don't live with your parents?" Yugi's brows furrowed. It had dawned on him then that he had not asked Atem about his past. Then again, he could've sworn Atem had mentioned that he had moved here _with _his parents. "Wait, I thought you moved here with them? Isn't that why you came all the way from Egypt?"

"I guess I told a little lie. My parents died long ago, Yugi. I live with my adoptive family."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I had no idea."

Atem chuckled, making Yugi's spine turn to jelly. It was amazing just how much Atem seemed to affect him with just a simple laugh or smile. Heck, even his _voice _sent Yugi into a spiral of emotions he couldn't quite fathom.

"Don't worry about it, Yugi. My parents died long ago. It does not bother me anymore. The people I live with now have been very kind to me. They aren't my birth parents of course but they're all I've got and I'm very grateful to them."

"Oh, still. I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's quite alright. Anyway, do you have any plans for the day, Little One?"

Yugi blushed a deeper crimson at Atem's pet name for him. "N-no. I don't have anything, but my grandfather will be coming home later this evening, possibly later depending on his flight."

"Ah, that's right. He's coming back from Egypt, huh?"

"Yeah. He loves the place and I have to say, his affections for the land have grown on me, too."

"Really?" Yugi picked up at the hidden amusement in Atem's voice.

"Yeah. I think the history is very interesting."

"Well then, how about I pick you up and I'll tell you more about my homeland?"

Yugi perked up in an instant. "That sounds great! Just let me know when you're here-" He was cut off when he heard the sound of a horn beeping outside, followed by Atem's low chuckled filter through the speaker.

"I guess I should've mentioned that I'm already here."

Yugi smiled and hung up the phone before slipping on a pair of white socks and his Converse high-tops. He opened the door and found Atem sitting in a sleek 2014 black Jaguar XK convertible, the hood still up. Yugi's jaw hit the ground as he stared at the luxurious vehicle. _Whoa, hello, dream car. _As he slowly approached, the driver's door opened and Atem stepped out, jogging over to the passenger side to open the door for Yugi, bowing slightly in the process. The teen bowed at the gestured and thanked Atem before sliding in to the seat, admiring the smooth leather texture and that 'new car' smell.

Atem walked around the front of the car and got into the driver's side, greeting Yugi with a radiant smile. Yugi returned a smile of his own before clicking his seat belt into place. "So, where are we going today?"

"I dunno. Where did you want to go today?"

"I'm fine with wherever." Yugi looked out the window for a moment before a sudden question tugged at the back of his mind, "Hey, Atem, how did you know where I lived?"

Atem winked and reached over to ruffle Yugi's hair slightly, "That, is a secret. Little Hikari."

"Hikari?" Yugi giggled at the new pet name.

"Well, with a smile as bright as that, you are like a bright little light."

Yugi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest before pouting slightly, "You're such a flirt, you know? I bet you say that to everyone."

"Au contraire, Hikari, only you."

Yugi stuck his tongue out as Atem placed the vehicle into drive before taking off down the road, driving by Yami's house, unaware of the pair of narrowed crimson eyes that watched through the cracked glass.

* * *

Atem eventually settled on driving them to small, quaint little cafe in town. It was mostly empty apart from the few people scattered about the tables. Yugi inhaled and nearly melted at the warm, inviting scent of freshly baked bread and other delectable pastries. Atem led them over to a table situated in the far left corner of the cafe where they would be able to speak in private, not that that was a problem in such an underpopulated space.

As Yugi sat down in the chair across from Atem, his gaze wandered around the cafe, admiring the stained glass windows of beautiful violet and pink Lotus flowers. In the very back of the cafe stood the register, coffee counter where a lone barista seemed to be working, and a small door leading to what Yugi presumed to be the kitchen.

After a moment of silence, a waitress with spunky blonde curls came up to the table, a couple of menus stacked in her hand. "Hello, welcome to The Lotus Cafe. My name is Rebecca and I'll be your waitress for today. Here are a couple of menus." She handed them each a menu and took out her pad and pen, "Anything I can get you two to drink for now?"

"Just a coffee for me. Dark." Atem ordered, the girl immediately flushing at the sound of his smooth, baritone voice.

Yugi notice and laughed silently to himself, "I'll take the same but with four creams and sugars. I like it sweet."

Rebecca nodded and went to the counter to make their coffees. Yugi's eyes continued to move about the cafe, admiring the way the way sunlight filtered in through the windows, casing a soft glow in the cafe. Not a moment later, Rebecca came back with their coffees and set them on the table. "Now, have you two thought of what to order yet? Or do you need more time?"

"A-actually, this is my first time here so I don't really know…" Yugi blushed and Atem chuckled.

"How about we start off with two chocolate drizzled croissants, please?"

"Sure thing. Coming right up, cutie." Rebecca winked and walked to the kitchen to place their orders.

Yugi arched a brow, "Now, I know you must've been stalking me. How did you know I liked croissants? It's honestly one of my favorite pastries."

"I didn't. It was just hunch."

"Mhmm. I see." Yugi glanced out the window as he took a sip of his coffee. He squinted his eyes when he saw a hooded figure staring at him from across the street. He blinked and just like that, the stranger was gone. _I could've sworn I saw…_ He shook his head and placed the cup of coffee down.

"Something the matter, Yugi?" Atem asked, a concerned look on his face.

"Nothing. I-I just thought I saw someone…" Yugi glanced out the window again.

Atem followed his gaze and noticed the shadows moving along the concrete wall. His eyes narrowed. He took a glance at Yugi and bit his lip. He sighed and waved his hand, causing time to freeze momentarily.

He then flashed outside and grabbed the mass of shadows that attempted to retreat at the sight of him. He growled and lunged at the shadows, pinning the shadowy figure against the wall. "Why are you spying on the boy? Who are you?!" Atem hissed.

"That is not of your concern, _Pharaoh_. And I will not speak."

Shadows began to creep from Atem's arm, travelling up to the figure's neck, curling around it. "Speak now before I allow my shadows to tear you apart!"

The shadowy man chuckled, "Go ahead and do it. You're not getting anything out of me. And you sure as Hell won't be able to save the boy. He's as good as dead."

Atem growled and let go of the man, allowing his shadows to finish the job. He turned his back just as a loud, agonized scream tore through the still air. He glanced back and smirked at the pile of bones the man had been reduced to. With a wave of his hand, the bones turned to dust and were taken away by the rest of his shadows.

He sighed in relief and flashed back to the diner and took his seat as time reverted back to normal. Yugi shuddered and shook his head.

"Yugi, are you alright?" Atem asked.

"Fine, I think. I thought I just…nevermind."

Atem remained quiet as Rebecca came back with their pastries and placed the plates in front of them. His eyes traveled to Yugi's and noticed how his hands were shaking as they held his fork.. He frowned, noticing the fear in Yugi's eyes. He then reached across the table and grabbed Yugi's hand, causing the other to flinch slightly and drop the utensil, but Atem paid no mind to it. "Yugi, talk to me. What's on your mind?"

"I just...I keep having these feelings." Yugi squeezed Atem's hand absentmindedly, "I feel like someone or something is watching me. Whenever I'm alone or in the dark, I feel this strange sensation run down my neck, that feeling you get when someone is breathing down your neck. I-it's so strange."

"When did you start feeling this way?"

Yugi snapped his gaze up to Atem, "You don't think I'm crazy?"

"I would never. When did you start feeling these things, Yugi?"

"Six years ago, when I first moved to this town. Since my move here, I've always felt as if someone was following me, watching my every move. I swear I see shadows move, I hear whispers and I-I don't know what to make of it. A-am I losing my mind? Have I gone insane?"

"You haven't gone insane." Atem sighed, deeply troubled that Yugi could even sense these things. Normal mortals weren't able to sense darker energies, or at least not much but Yugi seemed to be the exception. He was sensitive to the other forces and that left an unsettling feeling in the pit of Atem's stomach.

"Then am I just paranoid? I-I'm scared, Atem. If it's one thing I don't like, its' the darkness. I hate being in the dark. I-I hate it. I mean, it's probably the trauma from my parents' mur-accident talking but I can't help it."

Atem let go of Yugi's hand and reached over to gently trace his cheek, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, Yugi. And it's okay to be afraid. The dark is a scary place. That's a natural fear. These things that you see or hear, maybe it is just your trauma talking. Maybe it just means you need to talk to someone about it."

Yugi shook his head, "I don't need to talk about it. I know how I feel and how I felt about it. I know. I don't need a therapist to tell me how I feel or how to work on ridding myself from these emotions."

"Then if you don't want to talk to a professional, then talk to me. I'm here and I can help you."

Yugi stared at Atem for moment. He'd just met the guy and yet it felt like he'd known Atem for centuries now. It was as if they were old friends but that was not the case. He couldn't just openly trust a stranger and yet, he was beginning to against his will. There was something about Atem that made him feel like he could trust him and that he _should_ be telling him these things. And that scared him.

* * *

After their little trip to the cafe, Atem drove Yugi into the country-side, driving winding roads that eventually lead to the entrance of a forest. At first Yugi was a bit apprehensive but one smile from Atem and the feeling faded. A light blush graced his ivory skin as Atem offered his hand, which Yugi took as the older teen led him out of the car.

Yugi looked around the forest with child-like fascination, a feeling of peace and serenity overtaking him as his eyes took in the canopy of trees, the sounds of crickets chirping, birds calling, and the rustling of leaves as the wind blew by gently. "It's so nice here. What made you think of this place? How did you come across it? I mean, considering you just moved here and all."

Atem chuckled. "It's just a place I stumbled across after my family's first initial move here. I spent time driving around and found this place. But we're not quite at our destination yet, Little One."

"There's more?" Yugi tilted his head cutely and gazed at Atem with those large sparkling lavender eyes.

"Yes, much more. Come. It isn't a far walk from here."

Yugi nodded and followed Atem through the forest, glad that there were gaps in the trees that allowed light to pass through. Most of the forests were very dense and allowed little light to pass through, he was glad Atem picked the one place that wasn't so dense and creepy. As they continued on their trek through the forest, Yugi inhaled, taking the smell of nature, the earthy scent of pine, soil, and water.

Atem smiled and with a flick of his wrist, allowed himself to use a bit of his...'magic', conjuring up a couple of butterflies; their wings a metallic black and electric blue. Yugi giggled as the butterflies fluttered around him, one landing on his shoulder as he lifted hand and allowing the other to perch itself on his slender finger. _So beautiful_.

"They seem to like you." Atem murmured.

"They're so pretty." A thoughtful smile formed upon Yugi's thin lips as the butterflies left him, flying, dancing, and criss-crossing each other as they flew towards the tops of the trees. "I never knew nature could be this beautiful. I guess I've missed out on a lot keeping myself holed up in the house all the time."

"Indeed. Come now. We're almost at our destination."

Yugi nodded along and followed as Atem led them deeper into the forest. As soon as Yugi heard the sound of water, he instantly perked up. That meant either there was a river, waterfall, or something of the like nearby. Excitement coursed through Yugi's body as his eyes lit up at the thought. Atem noticed this and chuckled to himself. "Yugi, close your eyes."

"Huh?" Yugi startled slightly, "Why?"

"Don't you trust me?" Atem grinned.

Yugi gulped. He did trust Atem. Maybe too much for someone he just met but trust him, he did. Maybe it was the old, naive Yugi that propelled him to feel this way. He shrugged his thoughts aside and sighed before slowly closing his eyes. He then felt a pair of warm hands on his shoulders and he allowed himself to relax as he felt himself being led through the forest, his ears on alert as they took in the sounds around him; the crunching of the leaves and twigs beneath his feet, the sound of roaring waters, and the even breathing of Atem behind him.

"Okay, open your eyes."

Yugi blinked and slowly allowed his vision to come to again as he took in the sight before him. In front of him was marvellous waterfall that led to a pond below, the water completely crystal clear, save for the few leaves that littered the surface. Yellow and white butterflies fluttered around the area, travelling from flower to flower, among the hundreds of light blue flowers that littered the emerald green grass beneath their feet.

Yugi was absolutely speechless. The beauty before him now left him completely breathless. He'd never seen such a place before. He walked over to the pond's edge and gazed into the reflective surface below, his reflection obscured by the tiny ripples caused by the waterfall. He let out a content sigh as he sat down, stretching his legs out in front of him and propping his arms behind him.

"I take it you like it here." Atem took his place beside Yugi and allowed his eyes to wander.

"It's amazing. Thank you for bringing me here."

"The pleasure is mine, Yugi. I figured you'd need some relaxation time after all the things you seem to have gone through. I thought that this would be the perfect place to relax and forget it all."

Yugi nodded before allowing himself to fall back into the grass, clasping his hands together behind his head as he stared at the clear blue sky. He then turned to Atem, who he found watching him with an amused grin on his face. He blushed and brushed a golden fringe away from his eyes, "So, I believe you promised to tell me about your homeland."

Atem's smile broadened, "Indeed I did. What did you want to know?"

"What's it like in Egypt?"

"It's very hot. Scalding really but living there majority of my life, you sort of get used to the sun's brutality. Though, it is fairly cool during the night. The landscape is absolutely marvelous."

"Ah, yes, staring at all those sand dunes. Sounds absolutely stunning." Yugi teased, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm.

"Of course! Sand for miles! It's the best part of Egypt, didn't you know? You know how in Domino we have snow, well sand is like that in Egypt. As a child I used to roll around in the sand and make sand angels. The burning hot sand against my skin was definitely the best part."

Yugi laughed as Atem continued to humor him about his homeland. It felt nice. Talking with Atem, just being around the other seemed so effortless and it seemed to take a large weight off of Yugi's shoulders. "So, then, is it true about the Mummy's curse? If you enter the tomb of the Mummy, you'll get bad luck for all eternity?"

Atem rolled his eyes, "Watched a lot of movies dealing with those things, have you? Though, if you must know, there is no such thing has a Mummy's curse. There are, however, other things that linger within the tombs of the Pharaohs."

"Like what?"

"Ancient relics, gold, many things, really. And there is definitely magic there."

"I was watching a documentary on that actually, when you called me. There was this documentary on Ancient Egypt and the magic said to linger within in the tombs. Something about Shadow Magic and Shadow Games."

Atem tensed but dared not let Yugi notice. He relaxed himself a bit before smiling, this time a bit more forced. "Ah, yes, the Shadows Games. They are quite dangerous and many have lost their lives because of it."

"You believe in it?" Yugi gazed up at Atem curiously.

"I do. It is a part of my history after all. Though, no one has played a Shadow Game in a very long time."

"The documentary said that the magic was sealed away so that it wouldn't be used to hurt anyone again."

"That is true. Shadow magic can be unpredictable sometimes. And those who were too weak to handle that amount of power were often consumed by the shadows and their own selfish desires. They were tainted and corrupted and used their power for evil instead of good. It is what the magic was supposed to be used for but of course, humans are such susceptible little creatures and are easily influenced by dark desires. Originally, the power solely belonged to beings that came from somewhere known as the Shadow Realm but the power was passed onto humans. A foolish mistake but I guess mistakes were bound to happen."

Yugi was silent for a moment. The way Atem talked about the Shadow Games, the magic, the history of it in such a serious fashion made him feel a bit uneasy but deep in his heart he always knew that such magic existed. At least that is what he had believed from the stories his grandfather told him. "To have that kind of power...it must be scary."

"It is if you don't know how to control it. But as you said, the power was sealed away or at least a portion of it."

"A portion?"

Again, Atem nodded, a small smile still plastered on his face though it did not reach his eyes, "Only a portion of that power was sealed away. There were others who were allowed to keep their magic, but only those who were capable of controlling the shadows without letting them get out of hand."

A tremor shot through Yugi's body and he turned away from Atem, instead focusing on the white, fluffy clouds in the sky, trying to manifest shapes and objects in them. He had no such luck. "Besides the Shadow Games, is there any other stories you'd care to share?" Yugi asked as he sat up, twirling a piece of grass in his fingers.

Atem smirked, "Not liking the idea of the Shadow Games, are you?"

Yugi blushed and stared at the blade of grass inbetween his thumb and forefinger as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "Not particularly."

"Understandable."

"So," Yugi let go of the piece of grass and looked up at Atem expectantly, "Any other stories you have to share?"

"There is one. It's...a very old story and it's the one I hold dear to me."

"What's it about? Maybe I've heard of it from Grandpa."

Atem chuckled and looked off across the pond, a far away expression on his face, as if he was trying to recall a faded dream. "I doubt you've heard this story. It's a fairly old one and there are few who know it."

"Family history?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Now I'm really curious." Yugi laughed humorlessly, "Tell me."

"Very well."

Yugi scooted a little closer to Atem and looked at him, patiently waiting for him to begin his tale with bright, wide eyes, filled with curiosity. Atem couldn't help but laugh as he reached out to ruffle Yugi's hair, "Allow me to tell you the story of The Pharaoh, the Prince, and the Royal Servant."

* * *

**In My Arms (Acoustic) by Dead By April**

_Don't look down,_

_Don't look back,_

_I am beside you,_

_Close your eyes,_

_Know I'm here,_

_I know it's hard to let go all that defines you_

_You feel like you'll never be whole again_

_We will find a way to erase the past, _

_Just stay with me_

_In my arms, you'll be fine_

_I'll never let go_

_All you've lost, will come again_

_Just stay here with me,_

_Never look back, never again_

_It's over_

_Everything ends here in my arms _

_Don't give in,_

_Don't let your memories break you,_

_Let me take you away from here_

_We will find a way to make this last_

_Stay with me _


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, guys! Been a while. :P sorry, I've been busy with school work and such. Hope you understand. Anyway, please review/follow/favorite! THANK YOU!**

**Oh, just a warning, there are a bit of disturbing images in this chapter. Just be prepared. Though, I don't think they're too bad... **

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

_**Violet eyes fluttered open as they slowly took in their surroundings. As he opened his eyes, the wind whipped wildly around him, stirring up the sand beneath him. The tiny sand particles caught in his untamed hair and cut his pale skin causing him to wince at the stinging pain. Shouting could be heard through the violent roar of the wind and Yugi lifted his arms to block the sand and harsh winds. Slowly, he walked forward and was nearly trampled upon by a horse, had he not dodged it in time, leaping out of the way to tuck and roll to the side. **_

_**He pushed himself up to his knees and tried to see ahead of him but there was too much sand, too much chaos going on and then suddenly everything went still. He panted slightly as he looked around him, sand particles remained suspended in the air, unmoving, men dressed in strange robes lay still as statues. **_**What is going on? **_**Yugi thought. **_

_**And then a shadow caught his attention, closer to the cliffs. He slowly got stood up and walked towards that shadow and gasped when he saw a clone version of himself, but tanned and dressed in exotic purple robes, wearing a golden crown with the eye of Horus engraved at the center. His look-a-like remained frozen in mid-air, on the brink of falling off the cliffs to his death. Yugi took another step forward but shivered as he felt something pass through him.**_

_**He blinked and suddenly there was a shadowy figure in front of him, a literal shadow walking toward the frozen prince. Yugi's jaw nearly dropped to the ground as the figured solidified into a boy he knew all too well. **_**Y-Yami? **_**Instead of the teen's usual leather ensemble, he wore a pale shirt and skirt, along with a tattered brown cape draped upon his shoulders. His hair was even more unruly and untamed than usual. **_

_**Yugi watched in awe as 'Yami' reached out for the prince and pulled him away from the cliffs, before closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. In that moment, everything returned back to normal again and Yami quickly wrapped his cape around the prince, shielding him from the harsh winds before they stopped all together. The prince looked up at Yami, his breath shaky and eyes glistening with tears. And Yugi's heart nearly did somersaults as Yami spoke in a voice he'd never heard from the disturbed teen before; in such a calm, warm, soothing manner. **_

"_**Are you alright, my Prince?" His piercing ruby eyes gazed intensely at the young prince. **_

"_**I-I am fine. Y-you saved me. Th-thank you. I-I owe you my life."**_

_**Yami chuckled and shook his head, "You need not worry,My Prince, as the Pharaoh's Loyal Servant it is my duty to protect him as well as all that belongs to him."**_

_**The prince blushed, "I-I see you around the palace sometimes. You're like a shadow, always hiding from the view of others and sneaking around."**_

"_**I do not sneak around. I am simply curious and-" Yami stopped at the prince raised a brow at him. He chuckled, "Okay, maybe I do sneak around. Just a bit." **_

_**Yami stood and extended his hand towards the prince, who took it with a smile and rose to his feet. He immediately bowed his head at Yami, "Again, thank you for saving me-" The prince was cut short as pale fingers lifted his chin. **_

"_**You need not thank me nor bow to me, my Prince. 'Tis unnecessary to bow to someone of such low status as me." Crimson eyes flickered as they seemed to note the small scratch on the prince's cheek. **_

_**Yugi watched on, his heart beating faster as Yami leaned in closer towards the prince. His trailed upward and his fingers brushed gently across the prince's cheek. Yugi's eyes widen as small wisps of shadows spilled from Yami's fingers, his eyes widening further as he watched the cut slowly fade until it was nothing more than a pale scar. **_

"_**Thank-" Two fingers pressed against the prince's lips to stop him from speaking.**_

"_**As I said, you need not thank me, My Prince. It is my duty to protect you."**_

_**The prince's brows furrowed a bit before he nodded slowly, a smile smile gracing his lips, "Very well. Though, I wish to know my savior's name. I'm sure you can spare that much." **_

"_**It is Yami, My Prince."**_

"_**Yami? That's a strange name. What does it mean?" The Prince's eyes lit up with the same curious spark as Yugi's and that made Yugi all the more uncomfortable about this situation.**_

"_**It matters not. Now I wish to know what is My Prince's name, if you do not mind me asking. The Pharaoh never spared me such details."**_

"_**Heba. Prince Heba." **_

Yugi's eyes flashed open and he found himself staring at the black ceiling in his room. He twisted a bit in his bed and glanced at the alarm clock, seeing that it was exactly 3:30 AM. He groaned and turned over towards the window. His heart nearly lurched out of his chest and a silent scream ripped through his throat as he saw his mother's mangled corpse sitting upon the window sill, bleeding out; blood spilling onto the floor and dripped from the parted, torn lips of his opened his mouth and a loud, ear splitting scream tore through the early morning.

He scrambled away and fell off the bed with a loud thud. He shut his eyes tightly and gripped onto his hair, a half-scream, half sob finding it's way through his parted lips. Frantic footsteps were heard before his bedroom door was ripped open and an elderly man flicked on the lights and ran into the room to kneel beside the screaming Yugi.

"Yugi! YUGI! What's wrong? YUGI!" The elderly man shook him slightly but Yugi just shook his head, sobbing and crying violently. "Yugi, you're scaring me. What's wrong, my boy?"

Yugi whimpered and lifted his head to glance at the window but sighed in relief when he saw his mother's corpse was no longer there. He calmed down a bit and wiped his tears with the back of his sleeve, settling into his grandfather's arms.

"Yugi, what happened? Why did you scream like that?"

"S-sorry, Grandpa. I-I guess I just had a nightmare."

The elderly man sighed and rubbed his grandson's back in a soothing manner, "Goodness, Yugi. I thought you were being murdered or something horrible happened to you."

"S-sorry…y-you can go back to sleep now. I'm fine." Yugi stood and walked over to sit at the edge of his bed, running his fingers through his messy tri-colored locks.

"Alright. But no more sugar before bedtime for you, young man. All that ice cream you ate before bed probably gave you nightmares."

Yugi just nodded. Grandpa sighed and reached out to turn off the light but Yugi made a sound of protest and stared at him in panic, "Don't! J-just leave it on."

The elder gave him a strange look but said nothing of it as he left the room, closing the door behind him. Yugi flopped back against his bed and sighed, staring at the blank ceiling above him. His mind was scattered, his thoughts disoriented and running wild. First, he was a hit disgruntled from his "nightmare", seeing his mother's bloodied corpse resting upon his window sill and he kept thinking about his dream.

He tried to shake it all off but everything seemed so real. Or maybe it was just Atem's stories messing with his head. Or maybe all that post trauma he should've felt years ago was finally catching up to him. Yugi groaned and flipped over onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow.

After a few moments of trying to gather his thoughts together, a tapping sound was heard against his window. Yugi stiffened before slowly lifting his head. He was slightly startled to find a large Raven perched upon his window. The bird stared at him with gleaming crimson eyes that should have been sinister and yet Yugi wasn't afraid.

He glanced at the bird for another second before wrapping the blankets around himself and drifting off to sleep.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Yugi groaned and slammed his palm down on his alarm clock to shut it up. He yawned and sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. He picked up his phone to check for any new messages and smile when he received a 'good morning' text from Atem.

He quickly typed his reply and got out of bed to get ready for the day. After following his daily routine, he hopped down stairs to find his grandfather busying himself in the kitchen. "Morning, Grandpa!"

"Ah, good morning, Yugi! How are you feeling this morning?"

Yugi smiled slightly as he took out a box of cereal from his kitchen cabinet, "I'm better. It was just a silly nightmare."

"It seemed more severe than just a silly nightmare. You were screaming as if you were being murdered! Look, Yugi, if you need to, I'll be more than willing to send you to seek help-"

Yugi slammed his bowl down and hung his head, "Grandpa, I don't _need _help. I don't need a Psychiatrist to tell me how I feel. I know how I feel. No amount of therapy is going to change that."

The elder sighed, "Very well. Anyway, I forgot to give you a present yesterday. I'm sure you'll like it."

"What is it?"

"It's in my bag in the living room."

Yugi ate a bite of his cereal before wandering into the living room to retrieve his grandpa's bag. He unzipped it and gasped as he pulled out a golden box with ancient hieroglyphics inscribed on the box. Carefully, he opened the top, his eyes widening as he found a bunch of solid gold pieces. "It's a puzzle."

"Ah, good, you found it! Yes, it seems to be a type of puzzle. It was found in one of the tombs that had collapsed. This was the only thing salvageable."

"What do these symbols mean?"

"I believe it says, 'Only the one worthy of possessing my power shall complete the Puzzle'' or something along those lines. But look at the top of the box, Yugi."

Yugi frowned. "What does _this _say?"

His grandfather chuckled, "It says 'Heba'. It means 'game' in Egyptian."

_Heba? As in the Heba in my dreams, Heba? _ "Wait, did you say it means 'game' in Egyptian? So that means-"

His grandpa nodded, "Yes, it's your Egyptian name. How coincidental, don't you think? Perhaps you were destined to have it."

Yugi stared at the gold box in his hands, suddenly weighing five pounds heavier. He forced a smile and semi bowed to his grandfather, "Thanks, Grandpa. I'll put it together as soon as possible."

He gripped onto the box tightly and slowly made his way upstairs. In the back of his mind, he felt the need to tell Atem but at same time, felt he shouldn't-at least, not until the Puzzle was complete. He carefully sat the Puzzle on his bedside table and stared at it for a long moment. _Heba… that's my name in Egyptian… and my dream...what did it mean? _Thousands of unanswered questions buzzed around in Yugi's head and served to only spark his curiosity and at the same time caused him to feel uneasy.

It seemed there were many things Yugi did not understand these days; so many puzzle pieces to a puzzle that grew more and more complex as the days went by. With a sigh, he set the golden box upon his bed before returning back downstairs to finish his breakfast.

* * *

Yugi hated the mall. He hated shopping with a passion but when you had a friend like Anzu, you couldn't exactly get out of it. And so here he was, being dragged around an unnecessarily large shoe store by his overly enthusiastic friend, who by now, had three LARGE bags full of merchandise.

"Oh, this are cute! What do you think, Yugi?" Anzu held up a pair of pink pumps with bows on the top.

"They look great, Anzu." He replied for the umpteenth time. They'd been walking around the mall for the past two hours and to say he was bored and damn tired was an understatement. He was just about ready to collapse on the cold hard floor of the department store, using Anzu's bags as cushions. He'd much rather be at the arcade or doing something more entertaining, maybe even reading a good book.

As Anzu strolled away to another shoe rack, Yugi sat down on a small bright orange cylindrical sofa, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in them. _Why did I even agree to come here? I should've just stayed home or something. Man, I need to find Anzu more girlfriends to hang around with. _

Just then, a sudden buzz broke him out of his daze and he casually pulled his phone out of his pocket; a smile immediately spreading across his features seeing it was Atem. Surprisingly, it was easy to smile with him.

'So, what is the Little Hikari doing today?'

Yugi snorted, 'Little Hikari? A new nickname?' I'm not doing much really. Just following Anzu around the mall like a pack mule. It's loads of fun.'

'Oh, I can imagine. On the bright side, you must be building quite a lot of muscle from carrying those bags around.'

'Haha. I guess that's true. Anyway, what are you doing today?'

'Ah, just dealing with some family stuff. It's pretty boring. I'd much rather be spending time with you.'

Pink soon flooded Yugi's pale cheeks, 'There you go again, flirting!'

'Is it working?'

'Hah, as if! I'm not that easy!'

'Aw, shucks! So, then I guess a booty call is out of the question?'

Yugi chuckled and shook his head. Atem was such a breath of fresh air and just what Yugi needed in his life now. Atem was so warm and he had this amazing ability to make Yugi feel so carefree and happy. He was grateful to have a friend like him. At that moment, Anzu returned and grinned at seeing the smile on Yugi's face. "Let be guess, Prince Charming is texting you again, isn't he?"

Yugi rolled his eyes, knowing where his discussion was headed, "I know what you're thinking but it's nothing, Anzu. We're just friends."

"Ah, friends with benefits? I didn't realize you were like that Yugi."

"Anzu!" Yugi flushed bright crimson as he stuffed his phone into his pocket and stood up, his lip jutted out as he pouted in defiance, "We are not friends with benefits."

"Damn, and here I was hoping I'd be able to write steamy fanfiction about you two. Make 'em juicy."

"You're such a pervert! Geez, why am I even friends with you?"

Anzu laughed and wrapped an arm around Yugi's shoulders, "Because you know you love me! And because I bring rainbows and sunshine to what, without me, would be a boring dull life!"

"Rainbows and sunshine? Huh, is that what the kids are calling drugs these days?"

"Oh, shut it, Mutou. You know you love me." She grinned smugly and Yugi could only roll his eyes on mock annoyance before a small smile curled upon his lips.

The pair soon decided to take a rest and sat at one of the table in the middle of the mall, the skylight allowing a dull, gray light into the mall. The sun didn't shine much these days. As Yugi took a sip of his Coke, a chill ran down his spine, which did not go unnoticed by Anzu. "Yugi, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing's wrong. Just the chills. Probably just a draft or something." Yugi took another sip of his drink, his eyes darting away to a small jewelry store across the way. "Anyway, what do you want to do next-" Yugi stopped abruptly as he turned back to face Anzu, noticing her frozen worried expression.

He leaned over and waved his hand but Anzu remained unblinking. _That's strange…_ Yugi frowned and looked around the mall, only now noticing just how eerily quiet it got and that everyone had stopped moving. Panic began to set into Yugi's system as he stood up from the table and looked around, his eyes scanning his surroundings frantically. _What the-am I dreaming? _He pinched himself and flinched before rubbing his arm. Nope, he wasn't dreaming.

As he made a grab for his drink he turned back and quickly withdrew his hand when he saw a black furry spider sitting on top the lid. Now, normally, this wouldn't have phased Yugi. He could've brushed the spider off and be done with it but absolute horror shot through his system when a large swarm of spiders crawled out from the cup, spilling onto the table. Yugi staggered backwards and nearly screamed when spiders began to crawl out from Anzu's mouth and ears.

Not wasting another second, Yugi ran past the still-moving people and was just about to reach the exit when something wrapped around his leg, tripping him and causing him to land hard on his hands and knees. He turned around only to find a large black viper slithering towards him. This time he did scream as he shuffled backwards, watching in sheer terror as two more snakes materialized before his eyes, their sinister crimson eyes glaring at him.

Yugi shut his eyes tightly as the snakes drew in closer, lashing out, their fangs extended towards him.

"Get the fuck away from him!"

Yugi cracked open an eye, just a peek, in time to see Yami glaring dangerously at the snakes. He watched in shock as the teen stormed up to the snakes and wrapped his hand around their necks, squeezing them tightly before they burst into flames and disintegrated. He then whirled around to face Yugi, his eyes blazing like that of fire, causing Yugi to gulp. "Y-Yami, what are you-"

"Don't move!" In the blink of an eye, Yami whipped out a small thin blade and threw it. Yugi whimpered and shut his eyes, waiting for it to pierce him but it never did. Instead, he heard a loud, agonized snarl from behind him and he turned just in time to see a dark, shadow figure crumbling to dust.

Yugi stood up shakily and stared at Yami for a moment before a gasp escaped his lips. His eyes widening at the dark figure materializing behind Yami. "Yami, look out-"

Before he was able to give his warning, the figure was tackled to the ground. Yugi blinked and there was Atem, pinning the figure to the ground, a dagger held above it. Yugi's jaw dropped as he watched Atem bring the blade down, slamming it into the figure's smoky body. It let out a shrill shriek before suffering the same fate as the other.

Yugi glanced back and forth between the two identical looking teens in front of him before he slowly started to move backward. What the heck just happened? Atem's expression changed from being hostile-an expression Yugi was not familiar with on the boy-to that of worry and concern. "Yugi…" Atem spoke calmly.

"Wh-what-" He shook his head, "No, this has to be a dream. It has to be a dream."

Yugi's head was spinning. Between the snakes, the spiders, and Yami and Atem showing up out of thin air and killing a bunch of shadow things, Yugi's head was in a whirl. He didn't know what was real, what was fake. Reality and fantasy seemed to collide and blur together, disorienting him and confusing. He couldn't breathe.

Yami's brows furrowed as he took a step forward. Yugi tried to speak, to tell them to stay away but all too quickly, his world turned dark and he was suddenly falling. Before Atem even had the chance to move, Yami was already there, catching Yugi gracefully in his arms. "Yami…."

"What?"

"We have a lot of explaining to do…"

Yami clenched his jaw and held onto Yugi tightly, "Fuck."

* * *

**How it Ends By Beth Crowley **

_There's a darkness that plays behind your wicked smile_

_Aching sadness as you cradle me like I'm a child_

_This is madness_

_We're descending into madness _

_And it chills me to the bone_

_Even you're gone I'm not alone_

_I'm never alone_

_I'm searching, desperate for a fracture in your shell_

_With every passing day it gets harder to tell_

_Where the demon stops and where you begin_

_But I promise you this isn't how it ends _

_I'm frightened as we tumble down the rabbit hole_

_My grip tightens, I'm clinging to your missing soul_

_You can fight them_

_Together we can fight them_

_Tell me you're not too far gone_

_That I'm not a fool for holding on_

_I have to hold on _

_Deep within your twisted truth_

_You've made yourself a home_

_Bu it's a place I can't follow you _

_Don't leave me on my own_

_I can't do this on my own _


	6. Chapter 6

**Update! :D have you guys been waiting long for this? Sorry. Been busy with school and whatnot since it's the end of the semester, so got a lot of finals coming up! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. You may have conflicting feelings about Yami in this chapter and in this story in general to be honest. As I've mentioned before, he's going to be going back and forth between being an asshole and a somewhat decent guy. Atem, well, he'll just be Atem. Lol. Yugi...well, I have a lot of plans for Yugi's character in this, some good and some bad, But you'll see as I update. ;) **

**Please review and as always, ENJOY!**

**THANK YOU! **

* * *

_**The young prince giggled as a warm hand encased his before pulling him along. A low, baritone chuckle filled the air and violet eyes lifted to meet darker maroon. 'My Pharaoh, where are you taking me?'**_

'_**You need not worry, My Love. Just close your eyes and follow my lead.' **_

_**The prince obeyed as he followed the Pharaoh blindly. After a few moments of walking and giddy laughter, they finally reached their destination. 'You may open your eyes now, My Prince.' **_

_**The Prince did just that, blinking before his vision cleared. A gasp fell from his lips as he was welcomed by the sight of a large, rectangular pool in the middle of a garden filled with exotic plants. Upon the pool's clear, shimmery surface floated numerous white lotuses. **_

_**The Prince's lips parted as he gazed wide-eyed at the beauty before him; the water glittering with reflection of the billions of silvery stars in the night sky. 'M-my Pharaoh, what-'**_

_**A pair of soft, luscious lips cut off any further words from the Prince as the Pharaoh leaned down to steal a short yet sweet kiss. 'It has been so long since we have had any time alone together. I thought this would be a good opportunity to relax, without the titles. Simply Atem and Heba.' **_

_**Heba smiled, 'Thank you, My Ph-Atem. Really, thank you.' **_

_**Atem grinned and kneeled down beside the edge of the pool. 'Well, there is one thing I forgot…'**_

'_**What is that?'**_

_**Atem winked and touched his palm to the surface of the water. Heba blinked as the water soon glowed a faint blue; the lotus lit up with a soft gold, as did the other exotic flowers with their own luminescent glow. 'You never cease to amaze me with that magic of yours. I only aspire to be as skilled with my own.' Heba smiled as Atem slowly lead him into the pool.**_

'_**In time, my sweet, in time. You will learn to master your powers as I have soon enough. You do have a fairly talented teacher.' **_

'_**Yes, Yami has been a very wonderful teacher. You two are a lot alike, you know that? The only difference is that you're more open and bold. He's so...timid and always hides in the shadows.'**_

_**Atem chuckled, 'Yes, Yami is quite peculiar but he is my best friend. I wouldn't be able to do all this without him. Without him, I'd probably have gone insane. He's the only one who understands me, really.'**_

'_**Wow, I feel so loved!' Heba scoffed sarcastically and pouted.**_

'_**Ah, let me rephrase that then. He**_ **was **_**the only one that understood me. And now I have you, too. I'd lose my mind without you two.' **_

_**Heba smiled gently and cupped Atem's face in his hands, 'Atem...' He looked away suddenly, his cheeks aflame.**_

'_**What is it, Heba?' Atem raised his hands to cradle Heba's against his cheeks, 'Why do you shy away from me now?'**_

'_**I-I love you.' **_

Amethyst eyes snapped open before squinting closed again for a moment. Yugi rubbed his eyes and blinked, trying to clear the haze and sleep fogging his vision. As the haze faded, he realized he was in someone's living room, lying on a comfy black couch. The smell of cinnamon and various other spices filled his senses, making his insides turn to mush at the calming feeling it brought.

His head snapped up at the sound of footsteps and muffled voices approaching and so he quickly laid back down and shut his eyes as the noises grew louder. The sound of the door creaking open caused him to flinch slightly but he otherwise maintained his illusion of sleep.

"What the hell do you suppose we do then, Atem? He _knows. _He fucking _knows_!"

"Well, we can't keep this a secret from him any longer. Besides, what are you going to do? Erase his memories whenever he gets into trouble? That's not going to work anymore, Yami. He's in danger!"

"You don't think I know that? I know he's in danger. The kid is a fucking magnet for danger! And he's a goddamn horrible actor! Get up, Mutou. I know you're awake."

Yugi mentally slapped himself before slowly sitting up, his gaze glued to the floor as he couldn't bring himself to look either of them in the eyes. He flinched as someone placed a gentle, yet firm hand on his shoulder and sighed.

"Yugi,"

"Be honest with me, what happened at the mall...I didn't just dream that up did I? It actually happened?"

"I'm afraid so."

Yugi took in a shaky breath and swallowed thickly, letting the day's previous events sink in. He clenched his hands into fists and shut his eyes, trying to steady himself and get a grip on reality but with the two mysterious teens in the room, he found it rather difficult. He opened his mouth, the words barely audible as he spoke them, "A-are you going to drink m-my blood or s-something?"

He jerked his head up when he heard Yami scoff, "Are you fucking kidding me right now? He thinks we're fucking vampires, Atem!"

"Y-you mean you're not? Then what-"

Atem sighed and retracted his hand, "No, Yugi, we're not vampires. We aren't like any of the supernatural creatures you've come to know from Hollywood or from fantasy novels."

"What are you?"

"I guess you could call us demons of some sort except not quite...we're Shadows."

"Shadows?" Yugi furrowed his brows, confused.

"We're beings of darkness but we are not all evil. Or at least, some of us aren't evil. You remember what I told you about the Shadow Games that existed long ago?"

Yugi nodded.

"They were real. They're _still _real."

"What do you-"

"What he means is, you're a target in someone's Shadow Game. Someone has chosen you specifically. Why that is, I have no fucking clue but it's true. In short, Mutou, you're in danger." Yami leaned against the window casually and crossed his arms; and although his stance remained devoid of any concern, his crimson eyes blazed with fury and rage.

"D-danger? Wait...so then these nightmares I've been having, these illusions, they're real...they're part of the Shadow Game?!"

"Yes. But you don't need to be afraid, we're here to protect you."

Yami snorted, "We? I'm not wasting my time looking after some pathetic mortal. I have better things to do with my life, Atem."

Atem turned to glare at Yami, "Oh? Like going to those stupid underground fights you frequent to so often? Yeah, because that's important."

"Fuck you."

"No thanks, not in the mood right now." Atem smiled dryly as Yami rolled his eyes.

"Real mature, _Pharaoh_."

Yugi gasped, suddenly recalling his dreams and absentmindedly raised his hand to touch his chest; his heart suddenly feeling heavier. Atem seemed to take notice of Yugi's change in expression and frowned, "Yugi? What is it?"

Said boy closed his eyes and exhaled shakily, "You...that story you told me, about the Pharaoh...the Prince...and the Servant…"

Yami tensed up and his eyes narrowed slightly, though he said nothing and allowed Yugi continue. _He knows….? Atem told him? Fucker… _

"That story...th-that was about you, wasn't it?"

Atem bit his lip and turned away, his eyes downcast. He always knew that Yugi would figure it out eventually but he didn't think he'd figure out so quickly. However, there was no point in denying anything anymore. The secret was out and he might as well get everything out now and lay out all his cards on the table. "Yes. I-I was once a Pharaoh...five thousand years ago."

"And the Servant…" Yugi looked toward Yami and shuddered, seeing the dark, intense look the teen wore; those crimson eyes boring into Yugi's soul as they always did, "That Servant was you...Yami."

"What the hell makes you say that? Who said I had anything to do with Atem's past?"

Yugi smiled weakly, "I may be a horrible actor but you're also a horrible liar, Yami. And I had a dream...you...saved Heba."

At that, the two older teens' eyes visibly widened at the mention of the name. Yugi flinched internally realizing he'd struck a chord but he also felt intrigued. So they did know this...Heba, a boy that resembled Yugi. A boy that was once betrothed to the Pharaoh, Atem. "H-how do you know about Heba? How do you know that name?" Atem asked quietly.

"I had a dream about him. I've been having dreams about both of you. I-I assume they're visions of your past. Atem, you...you loved Heba and he, you."

Atem glanced at Yami who still wore the same shocked expression, a hint of fear glinting in those normally stony crimson eyes. "I-I indeed was in love with Heba. If you recall the story I told you, we were engaged, betrothed...but…"

"But you called it off because-" Yugi trailed off as his eyes shifted toward Yami. The teen was oddly silent and Yugi felt like if he continued on this track any longer, he'd end up causing Yami to snap and possibly kill them all.

"You…" Yami finally spoke, his voice low, yet strained as he spoke through clenched teeth, "You told him the story of Heba...of _us_? Are you fucking mad?"

"I didn't think he'd connect it to us"

"That's bullshit! You knew. You knew he would. You probably _wanted _him to find out the truth! _Look _at him, Atem! He's an exact replica of Heba and I know for a fact that's the only reason why you wanted to get close to him, the only reason you told him!"

Atem glared, his eyes darkening, "That is not true."

"No? Then what drew you to him in the first place, Atem?"

"Fine! I was intrigued because he resembled Heba a little but I like him as _Yugi_. He may look like Heba but he's not! I know that. Do you?"

Yami's expression hardened once more as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "Of course I know." He glanced at Yugi, staring at him as if he were nothing but a speck of dirt, causing the smaller teen to look away uncomfortably and Yami to smirk, "He's not Heba. He's nothing more than a cheap carbon copy of the Heba I knew. It's true, I cared for Heba but it's because he is Yugi Mutou that I do not care about what happens to him. He's merely a cheap knockoff the real Heba."

Yugi balled his hands into fists and clenched his jaw. Yami's words had cut him _deep_. He was nothing but a cheap knockoff? A carbon copy? He'd been bullied before in the past and had took it like a coward but not this time. He wouldn't let someone, someone like Yami walk all over him. And so, he slowly rose to his feet and lifted his head to glare at the teen, "You're right, Yami. I'm not Heba and I never will be, quite frankly I don't think I _want _to be Heba if it means I have to be associated with the likes of you. And I feel sorry for you, Yami, because it seems I'm not the only fake here. You are, too."

Yami's expression did not change as he glared down at the teen before him, slightly shocked that this little runt was actually standing up to him. No one ever had before. "And how am _I _a fake?"

"Because the Yami I saw in my dreams...he's not the Yami standing in front of me now. No, the Yami in front of me now is nothing more than a fake, washed out copy of the man from the past. I can't help my appearance, I can't change that. But you, you made yourself this way. It's funny because I actually thought there was some good in you, I thought that maybe it could be possible to break that tough, cold exterior and meet the real Yami but I see that's impossible. You're nothing more than a jerk who knows nothing other than to push people away and make them feel like dirt."

Atem sighed, "Yugi-"

"Thank you both for saving me today. I promise I won't tell anyone about what happened. And you don't have to worry about me anymore. Because it might actually be good thing if whoever is targeting me finally kills me. Maybe that will finally make Yami smile, maybe it'll make him happy. So from now on, can you both maybe just...stay away from me?"

Yugi turned away and began to walk away, his footsteps heavy as he reached the front door. He lifted his hand and paused as he gripped onto the door knob. It was then that he felt a hand grip onto his shoulder. He stiffen as he turned his head, only to meet a pair of vibrant crimson, those orbs burning with emotion and the sudden press of flesh against his lips, "I'm sorry..."

And then his world went black.

* * *

Yugi blinked and blinked again until his vision cleared and he found himself staring at the ceiling. He frowned and glanced at his surroundings realizing he was in his own bed, in his room. Slowly, he sat up and rubbed his head, groaning. _Ugh, I have such a headache… _ He tried to remember what happened earlier but his mind was coming up blank. He couldn't remember anything.

All he could remember is going to meet Anzu at the mall and acting as her pack mule and then...that was it. What happened? Did he pass out? Just then, someone knocked gently on his door, "Come in."

He looked up in time to see his grandfather enter the room with a tray of chicken soup, soda crackers with jelly, and a large bottle of water. Strange...his grandfather usually only brought such stuff when he was sick and as far as Yugi was concerned, he wasn't sick...was he? He didn't quite know. His mind was fuzzy and he was having a hard time getting a grasp on himself. "What...happened?" He asked slowly.

His grandpa chuckled and laid the tray on the foot of Yugi's bed, "You don't remember? You must've really knocked out then."

"Knocked...out?"

"Yes, and that Sennen boy brought you home. He explained that you had collapsed at the mall and said you were probably starved and dehydrated after hours of shopping around with Anzu."

_Sennen…? _"Yami brought me home?"

"He carried you all the way from the mall home." Grandpa shook his head, "I can only image the strange looks he got but I guess he's quite accustomed to that. Though, he's not as bad that town makes him out to be. He seemed rather concerned about you."

Yami...concerned about him? Yugi shook his head and slapped his hands against his cheeks to wake himself up. He must be dreaming, either that or he somehow wound up in an alternate universe. Yami never showed concern for anyone. Then again, Yugi remembered how the teen had helped him with his car, explaining he'd been doing his one good deed for the day. _Ah, that must be it...doing his one good deed again. _Yugi tried to reason with himself. "I see. Well, thank you for the food." He smiled brightly at the elder.

"Of course, my boy. You should really pay Yami a more formal thanks. After all, he did go through quite the trouble."

Yugi nodded and pulled the tray closer to him to get a taste of that chicken soup he loved. His grandfather then left him to finish his meal. Yugi glanced out his window and stared at Yami's house, noticing that his bedroom windows were open. _Is Yami home? _Just as he thought it, said teen walked into the room and turned his head to lock eyes with Yugi.

For a moment, Yugi remained rooted in his spot, trapped by Yami's stare as always until he shook his head and set his tray on the ground before climbing out of bed to walk over to his window. "Hey." He called out.

"What do you want, Mutou?"

"I just wanted to say thank you. My grandpa told me what you did for me, how you carried me home from the mall after I apparently fainted. You didn't have to go through all that trouble."

Yami rolled his eyes, "It was nothing, Mutou. I was-"

"Only doing your one good deed for the day?" Yugi finished, catching Yami off guard, "I know, Yami. Still, thank you."

"Well, you're welcome."

Yugi giggled seeing the slight pinkish hue color Yami's pale cheeks. The older teen glanced at him and arched a brow, "What are you giggling at, Mutou?"

"Nothing. I've just never seen you blush before is all."

"I'm not fucking blush-"

Yugi grimaced and shook his head, "Do you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Swear and cuss like that? I mean, is is necessary?"

Yami quirked a brow, his lips curving upward slightly in amusement but he quickly straightened out his expression, a scowl settling in on his features. "Why? Does it bother you?"

"Just a little."

"Well just look at all the fucks I give."

Yugi laughed slightly as he leaned against his window sill, shaking his head. Yami did the same and tilted his head, "What's so funny now?"

"It's just that, well, this is the longest conversation we've ever had and also the most civil. It's...different. Well, aside from the cursing anyway."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah." Yugi smiled thoughtfully, "It's nice. We should do this more often."

Yami scoffed and pulled away from the window sill, "Don't get your hopes up, Mutou. After all, you wouldn't want to get caught up with a 'monster' like me, now would you?"

Yugi smile fell as he glanced away for moment but slowly, that smile returned, a warm, gentle smile that caused Yami to stiffen, "You're not a monster, Yami. And I don't believe you're as bad as everyone else makes you out to be. If you were, you wouldn't have helped me. You say it's your one good deed for the day but, I know you're just really being nice. But don't worry, it'll be our little secret. I'll make sure no one else finds out that the cold, scary Yami Sennen is actually a good guy." He winked and pushed himself away from the window sill.

"Nice talking to you, Yami." He then walked away to take his tray back downstairs to the kitchen.

Yami stared at the empty space where Yugi had been before the smallest of smiles formed upon his lips. "Nice talking to you, too, Mutou."

* * *

**Take me to Church (cover by Matt McAndrew)Original by Hozier**

_My lover's got humor,_

_She's the giggle at a funeral, _

_knows everybody's disapproval, _

_I should've worshipped her sooner_

_If the heavens ever did speak_

_She's the last true mouthpiece _

_Every Sunday's getting more bleak _

_A fresh poison each week _

_"We were born sick" you heard them say it _

_I was born sick_

_But I love it_

_Command me to be well _

_Amen. Amen. Amen. _

_Take me to church _

_I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies _

_I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife_

_Offer me that deathless death _

_Good God, let me give you my life_

_If I'm a pagan of the good times_

_My Lover's the sunlight_

_To keep the goddess on my side_

_She demands a sacrifice _

_Drain the whole sea _

_Get something shiny _

_Something meaty for the main course_

_That's a fine looking high horse_

_What you got in the stable?_

_We're got a lot of starving faithful _

_That looks tasty_

_that looks plenty_

_this is hungry work _

_No masters or kings _

_When the ritual begins _

_There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin_

_In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene_

_Only then I am human_

_Only then I am clean _

**_** Nothing to do with chapter. I just really like this song right now. :D _**


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